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> For a while the President was tweeting from a consumer-grade Android (!) phone, likely made by China, in the Oval Office. It makes me wonder how many groups p

> For a while the President was tweeting from a consumer-grade Android (!) phone, likely made by China, in the Oval Office. It makes me wonder how many groups pwned that phone and have access to critical national security information. You mentioned tweeting, was he doing NATSEC-relevant work from the phone or was he using an official device for those purposes?

nostrademons 7y ago
As I understand it he wasn't doing NATSEC-relevant work from the phone, but on Android spyware can turn on the microphone and camera remotely. During the Cold War our adversaries would've given anything to slip a bug into the Oval Office; now every hacker group who can pwn an Android phone has one.
- isostatic 7y ago
  > During the Cold War our adversaries would've given anything to slip a bug into the Oval Office See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(listening_device) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(listening_device)
- bubblethink 7y ago
  >but on Android spyware can turn on the microphone and camera remotely. Seems like an unsubstantiated claim. Also, Android is a broad umbrella term where security varies widely across implementations and devices. Do you have any concrete information about reference Android devices (i.e., Pixels)
  - opencl 7y ago
    He was using a Galaxy S3 long past the time it stopped receiving security patches. https://www.androidcentral.com/which-android-phone-does-donald-trump-use https://www.androidcentral.com/which-android-phone-does-dona...
  - okmokmz 7y ago
    >Seems like an unsubstantiated claim It absolutely isn't. Evidence supporting his claim are easily found online, both in leaked documents as well as from other first and second hand sources
mandelbrotwurst 7y ago
I'd be surprised if anyone in this thread has any way of knowing whether that's the case.
- mirimir 7y ago
  There might be, but they would never comment.
akersten 7y ago
I can't speak for GP, but certainly this adminstration has used consumer Android devices for a little more than tweeting: https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/13/14597700/donald-trump-phone-flashlight-north-korea-hacking-security https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/13/14597700/donald-trump-pho...
- mc32 7y ago
  And previous administrations had blackberries. I don’t think it’s possible to get high level pols to forgo their devices and follow good security hygiene. It’s in their nature to be communicative and available.
  - entee 7y ago
    It’s my understanding that Obama had a specially locked down device, not just the off the shelf blackberry/iPhone.
    - ColanR 7y ago
      That was after a while. From my recollection, the locked down blackberry was a compromise after he insisted on his prior insecure blackberry.
      - frankzinger 7y ago
        One would hope for a little continuity in the Presidential Office's security department. Why would they reset their security at the beginning of each administration, only to have to learn the same lessons the hard way again?
SiempreViernes 7y ago
Uh, he is doing pretty reckless diplomacy on twitter, does that count as natural security work?
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nostrademons 7y ago

As I understand it he wasn't doing NATSEC-relevant work from the phone, but on Android spyware can turn on the microphone and camera remotely. During the Cold War our adversaries would've given anything to slip a bug into the Oval Office; now every hacker group who can pwn an Android phone has one.

isostatic 7y ago
> During the Cold War our adversaries would've given anything to slip a bug into the Oval Office See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(listening_device) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(listening_device)
bubblethink 7y ago
>but on Android spyware can turn on the microphone and camera remotely. Seems like an unsubstantiated claim. Also, Android is a broad umbrella term where security varies widely across implementations and devices. Do you have any concrete information about reference Android devices (i.e., Pixels)
- opencl 7y ago
  He was using a Galaxy S3 long past the time it stopped receiving security patches. https://www.androidcentral.com/which-android-phone-does-donald-trump-use https://www.androidcentral.com/which-android-phone-does-dona...
- okmokmz 7y ago
  >Seems like an unsubstantiated claim It absolutely isn't. Evidence supporting his claim are easily found online, both in leaked documents as well as from other first and second hand sources

mandelbrotwurst 7y ago

I'd be surprised if anyone in this thread has any way of knowing whether that's the case.

mirimir 7y ago
There might be, but they would never comment.

akersten 7y ago

I can't speak for GP, but certainly this adminstration has used consumer Android devices for a little more than tweeting: https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/13/14597700/donald-trump-phone-flashlight-north-korea-hacking-security https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/13/14597700/donald-trump-pho...

mc32 7y ago
And previous administrations had blackberries. I don’t think it’s possible to get high level pols to forgo their devices and follow good security hygiene. It’s in their nature to be communicative and available.
- entee 7y ago
  It’s my understanding that Obama had a specially locked down device, not just the off the shelf blackberry/iPhone.
  - ColanR 7y ago
    That was after a while. From my recollection, the locked down blackberry was a compromise after he insisted on his prior insecure blackberry.
    - frankzinger 7y ago
      One would hope for a little continuity in the Presidential Office's security department. Why would they reset their security at the beginning of each administration, only to have to learn the same lessons the hard way again?

SiempreViernes 7y ago

Uh, he is doing pretty reckless diplomacy on twitter, does that count as natural security work?

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