I know Samsung devices aren’t recommended since they’re one of the worst when it comes to privacy and security. I would get an iPad and call it a day, but the problem is that it has no IP certification, unlike Samsung’s tablets like the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The IP certification is important since it gives confidence to use it outdoors and not worry too much about the weather and dust. For my use case, the iPad won’t work unless I get some sort of rugged case that will do that. Even then I won’t know if it’ll really work.
So what can I do to maximize my privacy using a Samsung tablet? I won’t sign in or create a Samsung account. I will only use Firefox with uBlock Origin and Brave. I will only use Signal for communication. Can Samsung’s telemetry or other undisclosed methods capture data about me when I’m only using the apps that I have mentioned? As for security, since they are committed to long-term security and OS updates, I guess I won’t have much to worry about?
This question has been asked before and from skimming the thread I’m not sure if there was really a great answer. There was a suggestion for Privacy Guides to create a Samsung hardening guide that seems to have gone nowhere, but it includes some information in the draft. Besides that, people usually just link to this answer for very basic advice. I’ve also seen people recommend Canta.
Because Privacy Guides hasn’t really addressed this well, I usually direct people to The New Oil’s Android mobile settings guide which seems to have mostly good information.
It’s not that Samsung is the worst.
It’s more that Apple and Google are generally better options for privacy and security.
Nothing that hasn’t been mentioned somewhere else in more detail but the major points.
Make sure it’s still getting updates and check the end of support life.
Take a look at Android privacy guides and comb through the settings and enforce your privacy and security as best you can. Most of the same rules as Google applies but some options are unavailable or more complicated.
I’m not sure if all Samsung devices currently support it, but they’ve started adding “Auto Blocker” to them, mimicking Apple Lockdown and Google’s plans to implement something similar.
That’s really interesting. How is Samsung able to capture what I’m doing on Firefox, Brave, and Signal? Does Samsung embed cross-app tracking even for secured FOSS?
Honestly, that is the thing. I have no idea. All of this tracking is proprietary.
All I can really seen on a Samsung phone is this on Rethink. That doesn’t mean though there could be other apps running as root bypassing Rethink that I can’t see.
I have tried in the past searching more information about this domains, but there is very little information besides Device Services being Knox telemetry crap.
TL;DR get a pixel. Or flash a privacy ROM like LineageOS on a Samsung device if you must.
They do. There are called Generic System Images. They can be flashed onto Samsung devices IF they have a unlockable bootloader AND support Project Treble. The downside of them is the compatibility varies from device to device since they containing nothing about a specific device’s vendor firmware (unless it is patched in the build). All GSIs actually do is replace the /system. Everything else on the device is untouched (like /vendor).
