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Right now there's two ways to root some devices -- though the bootloader (unlock), which allows you to securely do the changeover. And root exploits, which are
by aray 13y ago
Right now there's two ways to root some devices -- though the bootloader (unlock), which allows you to securely do the changeover. And root exploits, which are security holes in the operating system and can be used to persistently write insecure/root functionality on the filesystem.
The former can only be done by you (the device owner), but in theory the latter can be done by any manner of malicious applications. dm-verity only addresses the latter.
You should still be free to unlock and flash your own ROM to your hearts content. This includes flashing rooted images that have whatever bluetooth functionality.
- makomk 13y agoOf course, the reason root exploits are so popular as a way of unlocking devices is because most Android devices don't have unlockable bootloaders. I mean, I guess technically Google aren't stopping people from unlocking their devices, they're just giving the device manufacturers and phone networks a more robust way of doing so, but that doesn't really make much difference to the end user... Also, at least on ChromeOS unlocking the bootloader disables playback of DRMed content.
- quink 13y agoUnlocking the bootloader nominally both voids the warranty and requires a complete wipe of everything on the phone.
- aray 13y agoRequiring a wipe is by design. If an attacker steals your phone, whats to prevent them from flashing a new system partition that lets them read off all the existing data? You can backup most (all?) of your data manually, then unlock and restore the data. Otherwise unlocking would be essentially the easiest attack vector to owning a device without the user knowing.