YHK - yet another hacker news clone

114 points leumon 2 hours ago 51 comments

It seems like the PayPal app now refuses to run on GrapheneOS. I don't know if it's only because I have enabled the PayPal card for contacless NFC payments, but when opening the app it crashes with the following exception: com.paypal.oslo.app.rasp.RootDetectionSecurityException: Security policy violation: s=root

freakynit 2 hours ago | parent

"RootDetectionSecurityException" .. there's your answer ... it doesnt't want to run on "rooted" devices.

leumon 2 hours ago | parent

Well I haven't rooted my device. It's just normal grapheneos

therealmarv 41 minutes ago | parent

These days, root is mostly flagged via indirect indicators rather than detecting the root binary itself. For instance, detecting custom ROMs is a common clue. Does anyone remember the suhide days? ;)

windowliker 55 minutes ago | parent

Isn't it more likely to be saying that the app is running with root privileges?

tensegrist 46 minutes ago | parent

iirc grapheneos can't be rooted unless you do your own build

gib444 1 hour ago | parent

With or without Google Play Services running?

leumon 1 hour ago | parent

With. But disabling "Secure app spawning" seems to fix it for now.

leumon 1 hour ago | parent

Update: it seems to work when disabling "secure app spawning" (for now)

zvmaz 1 hour ago | parent

So it's not PayPal blocking GrapheneOS?

aabdelhafez 1 hour ago | parent

Switched to Wero and haven't looked back.

https://wero-wallet.eu

oniony 1 hour ago | parent

The website is pages and pages of blankness for me on Firefox mobile.

unpopularopp 1 hour ago | parent

Unfortunately peasants like us who don't live in the 5 countries where it's available still can't look back

therealmarv 43 minutes ago | parent

wait for it... I can see a future were every wallet, payment etc. app will block devices which are on custom ROMs and do not pass strong hardware integrity with blessing from Google.

I've read once that there are paid app testing labs which test if an app has root and custom ROM detection and when they don't have that it's a minus point on the report.

muvlon 38 minutes ago | parent

You need to use your bank's app for Wero, and many EU banks' apps refuse to run on GrapheneOS for the same reasons as PayPal. This is sadly not a clear win for Wero.

savwolf 9 minutes ago | parent

Does this work in the UK?

zerof1l 1 hour ago | parent

I see this happen from time to time. Lately, almost all of the apps work fine on GrapheneOS. The best strategy is to keep writing the business once every two or so weeks that you can’t log in to and use the app. Don’t go too technical at first, because most of the time, the moment they hear things like “rooted” or “unofficial,” they just say your phone is the issue. To date, I was able to convince, or at least contribute to, making three apps work on GOS.

basilikum 6 minutes ago | parent

Great job, man. We have to make ourselves get heard. It's a social problem after all. Technical workarounds are great and sometimes the only practical short term option, but we have to fix the social issue at the root.

hd4 1 hour ago | parent

did you re-lock the bootloader?

axegon_ 49 minutes ago | parent

This is arguably the most irritating thing with just about every largecorp developer: "os that hasn't been updated in 6 years? Sure boss!". Os that is built specifically around security and privacy with daily updates: "No, you can't do that". Annoying - yes. Safe way to make sure I will stop being your customer - also YES!

fluidcruft 6 minutes ago | parent

Generally I think the issue is that there's a tension between your security vs Paypal's security (deliberate, motivated bad actors).

Maybe an analogy could be about using metal detectors as a layer to reduce bank robberies. A gun in a good guy's hands is a good thing to prevent robberies. Guns in a bad guy's hands are a bad thing to prevent robberies. Paypal knows you have a gun but they don't know if you're a good guy or a bad guy so it's easier to just ban guns.

encom 5 minutes ago | parent

How does a rooted phone enable bank fraud? This smells like pointless policy checkboxing.

tonyhart7 4 minutes ago | parent

"Safe way to make sure I will stop being your customer - also YES!"

I don't think they care at all about the size of graphene os market share

if its jeopardize entire userbase then its not worth it

gnoll_of_gozag 48 minutes ago | parent

Can it still run in browser like it would on a regular pc?

sdcfgy 46 minutes ago | parent

I'm starting to see these restrictions as a deterrent for using the products in question. My GOS handset is slowly fizzling away into a dumbphone with Firefox, organic maps and k9. And you know what, I am starting like it.

bit1993 40 minutes ago | parent

I was always suspicious of GrapheneOS, thought it was too good to be true. But this makes me reconsider and want to install GrapheneOS.

kissiel 28 minutes ago | parent

I think if paypal not working on GOS makes you not use it, then GOS is definitely not for you...

WCSTombs 25 minutes ago | parent

They're saying the opposite, no?

nicman23 27 minutes ago | parent

it is great and you know that because cops are pissy about it

nunobrito 40 minutes ago | parent

Paypal doesn't work on LineageOS since a long time, even though the connections of that dubious Graphene distro with the US government are always in the horizon it is just natural that paypal doesn't work there now.

Otherwise it would just continue to raise suspicious that Graphene is favored by governments and big tech.

tombardier 36 minutes ago | parent

Still works on my up to date pixel 9 xl. I haven't enabled NFC payments though

Kwpolska 36 minutes ago | parent

Why would anyone still use PayPal after so many cases of accounts being banned and funds being frozen for no reason, and all the other terrible stuff they've done?

rciorba 28 minutes ago | parent

Critical mass? I had to start using it after moving to Germany, because everyone else expects you to use it.

One of the ladies at daycare is leaving? Here's a paypal link to chip in for a good-bye present.

Split a take-out order with a German friend, but he paid? Here's his paypal to send him your share.

It's just assumed that everyone has paypal over here...

iammrpayments 26 minutes ago | parent

Thought they use Sepa

netsharc 20 minutes ago | parent

SEPA uses your IBAN (account number), and one can also enter this account number for payment, implicitly allowing the store to withdraw money from it...

DemetriousJones 26 minutes ago | parent

I simply use it as an intermediary between my bank and any website I don't fully trust

vlyan 14 minutes ago | parent

because global-ish exchange of goods and services for money is a deliberately convoluted experience that only a handful of well-connected entities are allowed to facilitate, which enables each and every one of them to put "we reserve the right to fuck you in the ass for any or no reason" in their ToS.

onion2k 32 minutes ago | parent

Has PayPal blocked GrapheneOS, or have they blocked every OS they're unable to verify and done a poor job of implementing their checks?

Hanlon's Razor is a useful tool. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon%27s_razor

redleader55 5 minutes ago | parent

You're a banking app. Why do you need to check my phone or my os? The security is not in what phone I use, but in how sane your 2-factor auth is and if even exists.

basilikum 5 minutes ago | parent

> have they blocked every OS they're unable to verify

This is evil in itself.

Grisu_FTP 32 minutes ago | parent

I still remember when my bank wanted me to run Android 9 instead of my Android 15 rom (without root) on my Samsung S8 because "muh security!!"

Funnily enough, the only way to hide those detections was to Root my phone... And i still remember when i had an appointment there, they wanted to see something in my Bank app, i opened it (and i assume it had an update since i then last used it) and a big "THIS DEVICE IS NOT SUPPORTED. ROOT IS NOT SUPPORTED" poped up

But was as simple as readding the bank app to my root hiders.

but still, i hate this security theater

ThomasGlanzmann 31 minutes ago | parent

I'm on Debian Testing sometimes on amd64 and sometimes on m1. Paypal also doesn't like me. Than I have two options: I use a Windows VM to do the payment or I use another payment method. Most of the time I use the other payment method.

7r33 10 minutes ago | parent

P10F, 2026081301, Aurora Store, secondary profile, flawless. Try harder.

savwolf 10 minutes ago | parent

This is what really makes me question if I want to continue to use GOS, already some UK banks apps (which are app only) don't want to run. I'm considering switching back to stock as I can't be bothered to try to find hacks and workarounds for daily necessities.

dennemark 9 minutes ago | parent

Looking at the description, the title should be changed to "Contactless PayPal card does not run on GrapheneOS"

I use latest Aurora Store PayPal version and it still works. I just dont use contactless payment.