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Google Allows Creditors to Brick Your Phone (lemmy.world)

submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by MisterFrog@lemmy.world to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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I installed NetGuard about a month ago and blocked all internet to apps, unless they're on a whitelist. No notifications from this particular system app (that can't be disabled) until recently when it started making internet connection requests to google servers. Does anyone know when this became a thing?

Edit 2: I bought my Pixel 6 phone outright, directly from Google's Australian store. I have no creditors.

Were the courts not enough control for creditors? Since when are they allowed to lock you out of your purchased property without a court order?

I don't even live in the US, so what the actual fuck?

Edit 1: You can check it's installed (~~stock~~ Pixel 6 android 14) Settings > Apps > All Apps > three dot menu, Show system > search "DeviceLockController".

I highly recommend getting NetGuard, you can enable pro features via their website if you have the APK for as low as 0.10€, but donate more, because it's amazing. You can also purchase via Google Play store.

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[–] communism@lemmy.ml 31 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (3 children)

Oh jesus, that's crazy that it's on GrapheneOS too.

Edit: I'm on a no-longer-supported GrapheneOS install on a Pixel 3a. I've checked and it's not there for me. I also don't live in the US (like OP). I wonder when it would've been added?

[–] wesker@lemmy.sdf.org 18 points 8 months ago (2 children)

There's little to no info out there, but I did see some suggestions on a forum, that it may also be installed when setting up a Work profile. I use Shelter to create said isolated Work profile. I wonder if that's a possibile explanation.

[–] MisterFrog@lemmy.world 7 points 8 months ago

This may be the case, as I also have a work profile set up via Shelter.

Weird that it's installed in GrapheneOS also though.

In any case, even if setting up a work profile, it should just not be installed.

A potential backdoor as a ransomware exploit for anyone who has a work profile on their phone, I would guess. Unless there are other apps bundled with android that also lock you out of your phone.

[–] MalReynolds 6 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Seems unlikely if you outright own it, this is for bought on a plan type stuff, no ?

Edit: On further reading, apparently not. WTAF?

[–] Bronco1676@lemmy.ml 5 points 8 months ago

According to people from GrapheneOS these are two different things:

To be clear, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.devicelock is not what's included in GrapheneOS. There seems to be some confusion about that. This is the app that does what's being described.

What you see in GrapheneOS is https://android.googlesource.com/platform/packages/modules/DeviceLock/+/b1a971a6e29f5b426b13d96d7692e9dd5a7e81e2/DeviceLockController/

https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/11639-device-lock-controller/9