3 ms·

You can't really trust HW switches either. Someone who has physical control over the phone for a while can easily short the switch so that it's basically on all

by megous 5y ago

You can't really trust HW switches either. Someone who has physical control over the phone for a while can easily short the switch so that it's basically on all the time no matter the position. (they can do it at the same time they'll be installing the SW backdoor) ;)

fsflover 5y ago
> Someone who has physical control over the phone for a while So you shouldn't give your phone to anyone you do not trust? (Also, AFAIK, you can simply reinstall all software yourself.)
- megous 5y ago
  If using trusted software is enough, then HW switches are pointless anyway.
  - fsflover 5y ago
    Nothing is "enough". It's defense in depth.
skinkestek 5y ago
It might be meant as a joke but I am so tired of every comment that seems to imply that trying to do anything is pointless: Yes, a significantly advanced adversary can always get your communications if they want, but every time someone does choose the more secure option it raises the bar for them.
- megous 5y ago
  What's the point of security measures if you just dismiss their weak points? "FBI is comming for me, but I have my HDD encrypted..." Well, how well did HDD encryption serve that guy who the FBI just pulled the turned on/unlocked notebook from before he noticed what's going on and was able to react? He might just as well not bothered, when he knew "FBI" is in his threat model, and didn't account for this obvious attack in any real way.
  - skinkestek 5y ago
    It is about the tone of the message. If you had instead written something along the lines of "for those who have mighty adversaries and who actually need this for their own security, one should be aware that things like hardware switches only go so far" and then an explanation. Instead you wrote it in a way that I and probably a lot of others took to mean: even hardware switches doesn't matter.

3 ms·

You can't really trust HW switches either. Someone who has physical control over the phone for a while can easily short the switch so that it's basically on all

by megous 5y ago

fsflover 5y ago
> Someone who has physical control over the phone for a while So you shouldn't give your phone to anyone you do not trust? (Also, AFAIK, you can simply reinstall all software yourself.)
- megous 5y ago
  If using trusted software is enough, then HW switches are pointless anyway.
  - fsflover 5y ago
    Nothing is "enough". It's defense in depth.
skinkestek 5y ago
It might be meant as a joke but I am so tired of every comment that seems to imply that trying to do anything is pointless: Yes, a significantly advanced adversary can always get your communications if they want, but every time someone does choose the more secure option it raises the bar for them.
- megous 5y ago
  What's the point of security measures if you just dismiss their weak points? "FBI is comming for me, but I have my HDD encrypted..." Well, how well did HDD encryption serve that guy who the FBI just pulled the turned on/unlocked notebook from before he noticed what's going on and was able to react? He might just as well not bothered, when he knew "FBI" is in his threat model, and didn't account for this obvious attack in any real way.
  - skinkestek 5y ago
    It is about the tone of the message. If you had instead written something along the lines of "for those who have mighty adversaries and who actually need this for their own security, one should be aware that things like hardware switches only go so far" and then an explanation. Instead you wrote it in a way that I and probably a lot of others took to mean: even hardware switches doesn't matter.