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A few days ago, I started getting random apparently blank MMS messages from unknown urls in Hangouts. Looks like my phone / number is being targeted by someone trying to leverage one of the recent Stagefright vulnerabilities. I've got auto-downloading of MMS messages disabled in Hangouts and the stock Sony Messaging client, so probably (?) no immediate danger. But I am only on the last Kit Kat rom because I've been bitten before by abysmally bad battery life in Lollipop.
So options...
5..1.1 - sounds like battery life is better now than it was originally in LP. Can anyone verify that all the Stagefright vulnerabilities are even fixed in the latest for the Z3c? I have a Z1C test phone around the office here, and last I checked its latest 5.1.1 rom did not resolve all of those issues.
6.0 Concept - looks promising....but early MM wasn't immune to Stagefright problems either. Can anyone check if whatever anyone not part of the early program can install is free of this vulnerability?
Unfortunately, I need to run a secure app platform / email app for work, which means that I can't root or run xposed - stock roms only.
johdaxx said:
A few days ago, I started getting random apparently blank MMS messages from unknown urls in Hangouts. Looks like my phone / number is being targeted by someone trying to leverage one of the recent Stagefright vulnerabilities. I've got auto-downloading of MMS messages disabled in Hangouts and the stock Sony Messaging client, so probably (?) no immediate danger. But I am only on the last Kit Kat rom because I've been bitten before by abysmally bad battery life in Lollipop.
So options...
5..1.1 - sounds like battery life is better now than it was originally in LP. Can anyone verify that all the Stagefright vulnerabilities are even fixed in the latest for the Z3c? I have a Z1C test phone around the office here, and last I checked its latest 5.1.1 rom did not resolve all of those issues.
6.0 Concept - looks promising....but early MM wasn't immune to Stagefright problems either. Can anyone check if whatever anyone not part of the early program can install is free of this vulnerability?
Unfortunately, I need to run a secure app platform / email app for work, which means that I can't root or run xposed - stock roms only.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The whole stagefright vulnerability affects a huge percentage of devices running LP, while Android has claimed to have "fixed" most of the vulnerabilities some still remain in 5.1 but they are really not that impactful when it comes to using the phone.
With regards to security, you are never really "safe". The very fact you download apps like Facebook or Youtube already makes your internet life an open book, probably right now your phone sends anonymous data to Sony at set intervals.
True enough - no phone anyone really wants to hack into is 100% secure, and the more popular, the more they're going to be targeted. Specifically, I was wondering if anyone had run this tool:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zimperium.stagefrightdetector
on either 5.1.1 or 6.0 Concept? I have access to a few different phones that pass all these checks, but several that don't. The standard 4.4.4 on the Z3c fails all but one. A small comfort - but figured it was worth checking.
As for PI leakage, true, but different issue. I'm personally much happier with Google's methods where we have a dashboard that shows what information they're slurping up by the second, than others (like many manufacturers) that bury it in a massive T&C. We at least have some control over that vs. exposure to these security holes.
I've had tons of phones, and have rooted every single one. I've always done it, and many times out of habit. Before buying the XZ1C, I disabled root on my Oneplus 3 to see if I'd miss it. Turns out I really don't, except for the ability to run AdAway and completely uninstall bloatware, but that's a minor issue. I have my DRM keys intact, can use all the features on the phone without a worry, and don't really need root for anything. Of course, that's because Sony phones run nearly stock Android, so there's nothing that needs to be heavily modified. How about you? Do you miss/need root access?
Yes. YouTube ads.
YES! I want a dark ui, I want a 5 button navbar, I want to be able to use SonySketch font, so much so that I was looking at Z5 Compacts on eBay last night. If my X Compact was actually black in colour I would have kept it until it died or root for Oreo on Sony became available.
SXUsr said:
YES! I want a dark ui, I want a 5 button navbar, I want to be able to use SonySketch font, so much so that I was looking at Z5 Compacts on eBay last night. If my X Compact was actually black in colour I would have kept it until it died or root for Oreo on Sony became available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use the Custom Navbar app to modify it, even without root.
Yes and no, I've found workaround solutions to most the major things I wanted to do with root (block ads using dns66 for example), but if and when a root solution comes up, I will be rooting to take full control over my own phone.
Adguard is a fantastic no-root adblocker for which I have a lifetime licence. Disabling the bloat apps at least takes it out of sight if not out of storage and you don't get updates. I've not missed root for a while honestly, its often more convenient to not root with safety net checks and apps blocking root and such.
I have been a fan of Sony compacts since the Z1c.
I have rooted every phone I've owned, this is the first time I've used a phone without it. The main reason I wanted root in the past was to remove bloatware and get a better battery life. The battery life on the XZ1c is amazing out of the box and I can disable apps in this Oreo build, so my need for root has almost disappeared.
I must admit that I am with SXUsr on wishing for a dark UI, but it's just a wish and not really a game changer.
The thing I noticed about running a build with no root is that everything works perfectly, no issues, no crashes or FCs. I quite like a flawless smooth UI and if rooting it means I'm going back to a buggy phone, I'm going to have to think long and hard about how much I want those customisations.
this is precisely why i keep more than one phone sitting around. i'm holding on to my Oneplus5 just so i have a tinker toy. i will likely switch between the two when i feel like it.
i don't miss root yet, but i will. still stoked about having androidO
---------- Post added at 07:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:56 AM ----------
bilboa1 said:
Yes. YouTube ads.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
youtube red. ads are how they support their infrastructure. if you use youtube that much, you should just purchase. $15 for five accounts right now. share with friends and family.
SXUsr said:
YES! I want a dark ui, I want a 5 button navbar, I want to be able to use SonySketch font, so much so that I was looking at Z5 Compacts on eBay last night. If my X Compact was actually black in colour I would have kept it until it died or root for Oreo on Sony became available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A dark UI can be achieved without root using Substratum...though it can get annoying to keep having to update the skinned apps.
maidguitar said:
A dark UI can be achieved without root using Substratum...though it can get annoying to keep having to update the skinned apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the middle of trying to create one for our devices but figuring out Android Studio plus the Substratum template is starting to become a real pain.
I'm impressed with the stock features on this device so far, but I do miss being able to fully restore apps through TitaniumBackup (Helium just isn't the same) and AdAway.
blackknightavalon said:
I do miss ...<snip>... AdAway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At least we have some form of ad blocking for non-root users, apps like AdGuard or dns66.
I personally use the latter, lightweight and works for me pretty well.
Tried AdGuard (admittedly not on the XZ1C), found it too battery consuming, plus am not a fan of the subscription model.
Yes. Have had rooted phones since 2013. I miss not being able to prevent apps to start at boot, and TWRP would be nice to have.
Have to add that the thing I miss the most is Xprivacy, but since the development is dead, there is little reason to have a rooted phone anymore, even if Oreo gets Xposed. Magisk is nice though.
I hate the assertive display feature which changes gamma in sunlight. That's why I'd like to root.
Using the Nexus 4 previously, root was a must as well as custom ROMs.
Then I upgrade to a Z3C and was missing it for a short while. Stuff like Greenify and Xposed framework were what I used a lot, but as time went on, I got used to the stock Sony experience. Even when a root method for the Z3C was found, I didn't have the urge to root it as much as before.
Now with the XZ1C, I don't think I'll consider it. At most, I'll probably flash the Sony Concept Rom, if they decide to use the XZ1 series for the next round.
Hello,
I really need root acces for Adaway it's a nightmare without.
Youtube, on the web... horrible !
There are non-root ad block solutions you know, see a few posts up
I am too enjoying the stock Oreo smothness and battery life, but what might push me into LineageOS is the extremely annoying wifi/data traffic indicator that shifts the other icons in the status bar. That and double tap to wake the phone, why would you disable that? Lets see the next updates if they "fix" these issues, otherwise I am really happy with the phone.
Need root. Without Adaway this phone is crap.
Also need to remove all the Google apps crap, facebook, etc.
andTab said:
Need root. Without Adaway this phone is crap.
Also need to remove all the Google apps crap, facebook, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. Also tethering is an issue too.
Hey there,
yesterday I bricked my Xcompact (never come back option).
Now I can choose between a Xc and a new XZ1c.
Root and DRM is very important for me and I do not want to miss it.
Do you think, there´s a fully functional Root-/DRM (TA) Workaround upcomming in the near future or is it unlikely?
Kind Regards,
Chris
dhchris said:
Hey there,
yesterday I bricked my Xcompact (never come back option).
Now I can choose between a Xc and a new XZ1c.
Root and DRM is very important for me and I do not want to miss it.
Do you think, there´s a fully functional Root-/DRM (TA) Workaround upcomming in the near future or is it unlikely?
Kind Regards,
Chris
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can restore DRM function with a "bypass" patch once you have root and lost your keys... but if you "unroot" you wont have the DRM functions
Full DRM keys backup as old days seems impossible with current Sony security, I believe
dhchris said:
Do you think, there´s a fully functional Root-/DRM (TA) Workaround upcomming in the near future or is it unlikely?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As mentioned above, there is no way back from deleting your TA partition. There are several threads on this forum regarding using a DRM 'fix', but it looks pretty tricky to set up.
But, help is at hand. The developer sToRm// is about to release a 'one stop shop' fix for all types of Sony. So follow his Sony Xperia XZ Premium TWRP + KERNEL + ROOT + DRM fix/restore thread and this will be the easy solution.
LineageOS is also gaining traction and reading the comments is almost at a daily driver level.
There's a fix released.
I trully don't understand why Sony spends so much time with this DRM stuff when their camera isn't all that good. It's just sad.
Official link: https://www.xperifix.com/
sToRm// said:
To all XZ1 and XZ1 Compact users:
XperiFIX now supports your devices! You can download the current version (fixed) again, install and run it.
https://www.xperifix.com/download/xperifix-latest/
Please report if it works for you!
Original thread: https://forum.xda-developers.com/xz...hack-mod-sony-xperia-xz-premium-twrp-t3695171
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it actually worth rooting this phone? I only see 1-2 custom roms, no camera mods, basically no mods in general.
Apart from adblock and getting rid of bloatware (which you can disable), what's the real advantage of voiding the warranty?
Just to be clear, I usually root all my android devices, maybe what I'm missing for the XZ1c are mods and roms..
charliebigpot said:
Is it actually worth rooting this phone? I only see 1-2 custom roms, no camera mods, basically no mods in general.
Apart from adblock and getting rid of bloatware (which you can disable), what's the real advantage of voiding the warranty?
Just to be clear, I usually root all my android devices, maybe what I'm missing for the XZ1c are mods and roms..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well... for me, one of the main reasons is to install Xposed and then X Messenger Privacy Premium
Since the device only has 32GB, installing [Magisk Module] Magic Folder Binder in order to expand the internal storage transparently as I explained in this reply
There's also other goodies with Magisk such as ENABLE DOZE on Google Play Services or Greenify4Magisk.
For exposed depending how comfortable you're with the idea of ripping off YouTube Red you have YouTube background playback
All in all, there isn't any direct mods to Xperia Roms, but the ones that come with Xposed/Magisk.
luminoso said:
Well... for me, one of the main reasons is to install Xposed and then X Messenger Privacy Premium
Since the device only has 32GB, installing [Magisk Module] Magic Folder Binder in order to expand the internal storage transparently as I explained in this reply
There's also other goodies with Magisk such as ENABLE DOZE on Google Play Services or Greenify4Magisk.
For exposed depending how comfortable you're with the idea of ripping off YouTube Red you have YouTube background playback
All in all, there isn't any direct mods to Xperia Roms, but the ones that come with Xposed/Magisk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just got and set up my XZ1 - jeez, I take it all back, can't stand all the apps that are already installed, I'll root for sure.
Btw, thanks for the links!
charliebigpot said:
Just got and set up my XZ1 - jeez, I take it all back, can't stand all the apps that are already installed, I'll root for sure.
Btw, thanks for the links!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your biggest reason for root is only because of the preinstalled apps, then might I suggest you take a look at this thread. Unless you have other pressing root uses, in my opinion it's not worth voiding your warranty just to get rid of a couple of apps which can be done without root.
Don't know what Android devices you've previously owned, but in case you weren't aware, with Sony phones you permanently lose your unique DRM keys once you unlock your bootloader with no way of getting them back.
Basically, your warranty would be irreversibly voided, doesn't matter if you relock your bootloader, clean flash stock firmware or whatever.
Currently there exists no method of backing up and restoring those keys, which is likely one of the main reasons for the lack of custom developments for this phone.
Could be a different scene once phones begin to age past their warranty period and people no longer have any other reason to hang on to those keys, but for now, I'd still recommend to hold off rooting.
I was a Sony fan until lately it got a bit not worthy in my opinion.
I had Xperia mini then Xperia z3 compact until 3 months ago (that i got note 9)... it was rooted, custom rom, Xposed and stuff.
I know that by Rooting a Sony phone, you loose DRM features (camera improvement ...) that can be later restored by flashing a DRM fix zip and that's it, you still have everything.
but this is my first Samsung phone so I'm unfamiliar with all stuff(Odin, Knox, etc....)
questions I have:
1_ What I loose by Rooting? can they be restored after root?
2_ Wich method you suggest and why? magisk or SuperSU? or something else
3_ What do you recommend to install/set/tweak/flash after Rooting?
my phone: SM-N960F Running Android 9.0 updated 1 July 2019
Welcome to the dark side my friend!
Your Knox bit will flip from 0x0 to 0x1 - that's the first thing that will happen once you flash a custom recovery & kernel. This means that all Samsung features that check the bit status will permanently stop working; including, but not necessarily limited to, Samsung Pay, Secure Folder, S Health, Samsung Pass, the works. The change is permanent and can not be reversed by erasing everything and returning to stock firmware. As far as long-term effects on rooting go, that's pretty much it. Unlike on Sony Phones, outside these specific applications, there's no impact on other functionality like proprietary camera processing and image enhancement.
These days Magisk is generally recommended. SuperSU has been going downhill for a while, ever since Chainfire retired and handed off the development. It's also the only way to pass Google's SafetyNet checks while rooted.
As for recommended tweaks - well, that's up to your personal tastes. Myself, I'd protect the battery from excess wear by limiting maximum charge to 80%, and set up support for Sony's DualShock 3 I'm sure you'll find that most tweaks you liked on the Sony side will also work here.
You will lose samsung pay as well which supports MST which is a killer feature for me.
oddbehreif said:
Welcome to the dark side my friend!
Your Knox bit will flip from 0x0 to 0x1 - that's the first thing that will happen once you flash a custom recovery & kernel. This means that all Samsung features that check the bit status will permanently stop working; including, but not necessarily limited to, Samsung Pay, Secure Folder, S Health, Samsung Pass, the works. The change is permanent and can not be reversed by erasing everything and returning to stock firmware. As far as long-term effects on rooting go, that's pretty much it. Unlike on Sony Phones, outside these specific applications, there's no impact on other functionality like proprietary camera processing and image enhancement.
These days Magisk is generally recommended. SuperSU has been going downhill for a while, ever since Chainfire retired and handed off the development. It's also the only way to pass Google's SafetyNet checks while rooted.
As for recommended tweaks - well, that's up to your personal tastes. Myself, I'd protect the battery from excess wear by limiting maximum charge to 80%, and set up support for Sony's DualShock 3 I'm sure you'll find that most tweaks you liked on the Sony side will also work here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the Complete answer
I'm okay with, most of it... you know the secure folder is an awesome feature (at least for me) that is built in, super fast and integrated into various apps.
I haven't seen such an app as this stable and secure while maintaining this much functionality over many apps and locations inside the phone.
so that's a 'not sure yet' for me ... ?
can't something be made to reverse or change Knox trip to 0x0 again?
it made me interested... I want to participate or donate to such a project if it's ongoing
EL MAXERO said:
can't something be made to reverse or change Knox trip to 0x0 again?
it made me interested... I want to participate or donate to such a project if it's ongoing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, no. When an unsigned kernel is booted, the bootloader will detect it and trip a physical fuse in the SoC. There are ways to fake 0x0 status when fully booted, but since these features check the actual "eFuse", there's really nothing that can be done short of replacing the entire motherboard.
I remember this being a hot topic among developers since the Note 3 days; to this day nobody has claimed the bounty of several thousand dollars sitting in the Note 3 section of XDA Forums.
With root and Dr.Ketan ROM you basically get everything from this device:
- Native call recording
- Full/Half screen caller with native dialer
- All sorts of optimizations, memory management and tweaks
- Youtube Vanced (it can be used without root, but with root is a bit more convinient)
- GPay works with Magisk
You can see the list of all features(they are a ton) on Dr.Ketan ROM thread as well on his page http://www.drketanrom.com/
I was using the same Rom+root on my Note 8, now on my Note 9. I also got his Tweaks Pro app which is paid, but very useful. It's a no-brainer for me since I care much more about the functionalities rather than the warranty of this phone.
Ofc, this is my subjective point of view.
No more Samsung Pass? I like not having to type passwords in all the time. Is there something with similar functionality?
asif9t9 said:
No more Samsung Pass? I like not having to type passwords in all the time. Is there something with similar functionality?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LastPass works but requires a yearly subscription. You can also use the one in Google.
asif9t9 said:
No more Samsung Pass? I like not having to type passwords in all the time. Is there something with similar functionality?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
pretty sure it works so does the google version called auto complete.
BajaBlast4Life said:
LastPass works but requires a yearly subscription. You can also use the one in Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LastPass is free. You can get a paid version but is not necessary.
In all honesty there is really not that much of a benefit in rooting a modern day android device, unless you are a developer or an android hobbiest! As the current iterations of android are pretty good right of the bat!
Well,i am not sure how active this forum is anymore seeing that the device is a good few years old already and most of you change your phones every few months or so it seems. Today i would like to ask if anyone ever took the time to try and find a way to add custom fonts to the XZ2 without root?
Sony did think of it,or so it seems because there is a section in the device for fonts but none were ever added. I would really like to be able to change my system font style without having to root my phone first to do so. If anyone knows how,or if this can be done. Please let me know,thanks for your time.
No, Can't