switching to linux OS?

[Maddox]

Hello, today my smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 10 got hacked. I'm sure bc i was working when i got a Twitter notify about my tweet. The tweet contained a photo stored in the gallery. The phone nn can't access the camera, select the photo, choose in which app to share, send with messsage and reply, then. i got HACKED!
I'm not using my phone on porn site or something else. I just use for social media (Telegam, Whatapps, Twitter), to check mail e phone call. So, as im not trusting anymore Android, there is a way to install another (stable OS) to my smatphone? i tried Ubuntu mobile, but seems my Xiaomi is not supportaded

 

[Windroid]

If you can't find an OS that supports your phone, then you can't install another OS onto it. However, you can buy an iPhone, or buy a phone with Linux available. But perhaps moving away from Android, and from your phone, is premature. How do you know you got hacked? You said you posted something on Twitter, but you never said what that had to do with you being hacked, or what it is that makes you think you were hacked.

 

[nickdalzell]

Linux on phones has been pretty dead after the death of Meego (2011, Nokia N9).

Depending on your country, there are Samsung Tizen phones, and Tizen is part of the Linux foundation, so if you have that option I'd suggest it. Tizen and Android are close, but Tizen doesn't support many Android apps, and isn't a major hacker target as the majority opinion is that Tizen sucks (it doesn't but that's the popular opinion)

 

[Maddox]

If you can't find an OS that supports your phone, then you can't install another OS onto it. However, you can buy an iPhone, or buy a phone with Linux available. But perhaps moving away from Android, and from your phone, is premature. How do you know you got hacked? You said you posted something on Twitter, but you never said what that had to do with you being hacked, or what it is that makes you think you were hacked.

As I explained, I was working, the phone was in my pocket. It happened several times that a phone call went off, it can happen. Another thing, however, is that the phone alone selects a photo, chooses the app where to share it, sends the tweet with message + photo and replies to the message! It's practically impossible. My wife may have used my account, but she would not have access to the photo in question.

 

[Windroid]

It happened several times that a phone call went off

What happened? You getting a phone call? I'm still confused.

 

[Maddox]

Linux on phones has been pretty dead after the death of Meego (2011, Nokia N9).

Depending on your country, there are Samsung Tizen phones, and Tizen is part of the Linux foundation, so if you have that option I'd suggest it. Tizen and Android are close, but Tizen doesn't support many Android apps, and isn't a major hacker target as the majority opinion is that Tizen sucks (it doesn't but that's the popular opinion)

Hi, I've read some reviews and it seems that smartphones with Linux have some problems, as well as many apps obviously not working. By installing the OS I could go back to Android with a simple backup, without spending money unnecessarily.

 

[Maddox]

What happened? You getting a phone call? I'm still confused.

Has it ever happened to you that you made a phone call by yourself while keeping the phone in your pocket? P.S. I don't use screen lock.

 

[Windroid]

Has it ever happened to you that you made a phone call by yourself while keeping the phone in your pocket? P.S. I don't use screen lock.

Yes, when I don't use a lock screen. If the screen is on and not locked, then the screen can get taped on as its moving in your pocket.

 

[nickdalzell]

I had that issue without a lockscreen. Around here they call it 'pocket/butt dialing'. Capacitive touchscreens do weird things when you're outside and sweating. It gets even better when it inadvertently dials 911.

 

[Maddox]

Well, making unwanted phone call was not the issue i was trying to resolve, but the fact i got hacked without opening "unsecure" site.

 

[Windroid]

Well, making unwanted phone call was not the issue i was trying to resolve, but the fact i got hacked without opening "unsecure" site.

But then we're back to my question: How do you know you were hacked? The phone call could just be butt-dialing. So could the photo thing. Or you posted the photo and forgot you posted it, you posted it by mistake without realizing you were posting it, your Twitter app messed up, or something. Unless I'm missing something here: I'm not seeing enough evidence to conclude that your phone was hacked.

Now, you're free to switch away from Android. I would recommend iOS (iPhone and iPad) over Linux, as Linux doesn't have much in the way of mobile apps available it. But honestly: I think you're jumping to conclusions. Odd behaviors from computers (and smartphones are computers) usually doesn't mean the computer was hacked. Computers are perfectly capable of messing up all on their own, without a hacker doing anything.

 

[nickdalzell]

Computers are perfectly capable of messing up all on their own, without a hacker doing anything.

Ain't that the truth. Once, I had a Dell all-in-one that BSOD'd and wouldn't restart ever again (because SupportAssist got triggered and incorrectly flagged the HDD as bad when it wasn't) because of a botched Windows 10 update that got installed when I was away from it. It ultimately got Linux installed. It's another reason I no longer trust any software updates.

 

[ocnbrze]

i would factory reset your phone. change your email and password for all of your accounts on your phone. i would setup two step verification on all accounts where applicable.

to get linux you need to root the phone. this will in turn make the phone unsecure. so not sure you want to go that route.

 

[Windroid]

i would factory reset your phone. change your email and password for all of your accounts on your phone. i would setup two step verification on all accounts where applicable.

Not a bad idea, as reinstalling the operating system (i.e. factory resetting the phone) is something that ought to be done once every few years anyway. Just get your data properly backed up first! You don't want to lose your photos and all when you reset the phone. Two-step verification is also something you ought to be using anyway, with accounts that support it.

 

[Maddox]

But then we're back to my question: How do you know you were hacked? The phone call could just be butt-dialing. So could the photo thing. Or you posted the photo and forgot you posted it, you posted it by mistake without realizing you were posting it, your Twitter app messed up, or something. Unless I'm missing something here: I'm not seeing enough evidence to conclude that your phone was hacked.

Now, you're free to switch away from Android. I would recommend iOS (iPhone and iPad) over Linux, as Linux doesn't have much in the way of mobile apps available it. But honestly: I think you're jumping to conclusions. Odd behaviors from computers (and smartphones are computers) usually doesn't mean the computer was hacked. Computers are perfectly capable of messing up all on their own, without a hacker doing anyI

 

[Maddox]

Are u kidding me or what? are u telling me i forgot to send that tweet? then i forgot i answered to the same tweet? pls, let me alone, have a nice evening!

 

[Maddox]

Already di averyth

i would factory reset your phone. change your email and password for all of your accounts on your phone. i would setup two step verification on all accounts where applicable.

to get linux you need to root the phone. this will in turn make the phone unsecure. so not sure you want to go that route.

Yup, already did everything, but i keep my smartphone rooted for some things...

 

[Windroid]

Are u kidding me or what? are u telling me i forgot to send that tweet? then i forgot i answered to the same tweet? pls, let me alone, have a nice evening!

No, I'm not kidding. You don't need dementia to forget that you've sent a tweet (and this is the first I've heard about you "answering" the same tweet, whatever that means). Plus you forgetting that you sent a tweet was just one example of an alternative explanation to your phone getting hacked. My point was simply that there are other explanations.

That said: Your incivility is not appreciated! We're trying to help you out here. But if you don't want our help, you're free to go elsewhere.

Edit: And to be clear, I'm not saying that the phone wasn't hacked. Maybe it was, and I would suggest following Osnbrze's advice in case it was. I am saying that there are other explanations, that I'm not convinced that it was hacked.

 

[mikedt]

Hello, today my smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 10 got hacked. I'm sure bc i was working when i got a Twitter notify about my tweet. The tweet contained a photo stored in the gallery. The phone nn can't access the camera, select the photo, choose in which app to share, send with messsage and reply, then. i got HACKED!
I'm not using my phone on porn site or something else. I just use for social media (Telegam, Whatapps, Twitter), to check mail e phone call. So, as im not trusting anymore Android, there is a way to install another (stable OS) to my smatphone? i tried Ubuntu mobile, but seems my Xiaomi is not supportaded

Maybe you got compromised/hacked by something on the social media? Not just adult sites, apparently there's plenty of nasties that can be spread by Telegram. Whatsapp, Twitter, Facebook, etc. It's just an idea, and what I've read about social media.

 

[Maddox]

Maybe you got compromised/hacked by something on the social media? Not just adult sites, apparently there's plenty of nasties that can be spread by Telegram. Whatsapp, Twitter, Facebook, etc. It's just an idea, and what I've read about social media.

Hello, i really don't know what happened, and how, but if my Twitter acc was hacked (could be), there is no point loading a pic stored in my smartphone. The only consideration i did is that ours telephone are connected 24H (my for sure). I'm not a newby, but have to admit that i don't know anithing about Android security. Trying now to hardering as much as i can.

 

[Maddox]

Maybe you got compromised/hacked by something on the social media? Not just adult sites, apparently there's plenty of nasties that can be spread by Telegram. Whatsapp, Twitter, Facebook, etc. It's just an idea, and what I've read about social media.

Google Android Hardening Checklist | UT Austin Information Security Office This can help.

 

[Hadron]

The big problem I have with the hack hypothesis is why would anyone advertise what they'd done by tweeting a random image?

It does seem to involve more steps than just a random pocket dial (which, if the phone was left unlocked with the dialer open on the recent call list could in principle happen in just one touch - though note that there were a very specific set of conditions needed for that to be possible).

One obvious question: what was the message? If the phone was unlocked then random touches triggering a share icon in the gallery app, a random app from the list of options, that type of thing I can believe. But if there was a coherent message typed, which wasn't something possibly stored in your clipboard, that would be hard to explain - though predictive text keyboards being what they are I can't completely exclude even that: if Twitter were to launch with the keyboard open when you tell it to tweet an image then random presses on a predictive keyboard could generate some sort of sentence (I've never shared an image via Twitter so don't know whether this is plausible).

 

[Maddox]

The big problem I have with the hack hypothesis is why would anyone advertise what they'd done by tweeting a random image?

It does seem to involve more steps than just a random pocket dial (which, if the phone was left unlocked with the dialer open on the recent call list could in principle happen in just one touch - though note that there were a very specific set of conditions needed for that to be possible).

One obvious question: what was the message? If the phone was unlocked then random touches triggering a share icon in the gallery app, a random app from the list of options, that type of thing I can believe. But if there was a coherent message typed, which wasn't something possibly stored in your clipboard, that would be hard to explain - though predictive text keyboards being what they are I can't completely exclude even that: if Twitter were to launch with the keyboard open when you tell it to tweet an image then random presses on a predictive keyboard could generate some sort of sentence (I've never shared an image via Twitter so don't know whether this is plausible).

Don't forget the reply tweet. "

The big problem I have with the hack hypothesis is why would anyone advertise what they'd done by tweeting a random image?" Yes, i know, but i'm 100% sure i didn't sent any of the 2 tweets mentioned.

 

[Hadron]

It wasn't clear what the reply was replying to: your own tweet, or something else? And how coherent/on topic was the reply?

If the screen was unlocked in your pocket and buttons were being pressed, replying to the tweet that's on the screen doesn't seem impossible. I agree none of it sounds likely, but random presses caused by an unlocked screen interacting with your body as you move can produce odd results (this happening through the fabric of a pocket is perfectly possible). Back when I used a case that didn't cover the screen I had strange things happen that would appear to have required a sequence of specific taps to do them - not this problem, nothing as involved as writing a tweet, but it's hard to completely exclude such things happening.

 

[Windroid]

...have to admit that i don't know anithing about Android security. Trying now to hardering as much as i can.

This thread should help: Android Security Tips