this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2025
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Samsung Embeds Israeli Surveillance App on Phones Across MENA (www.moroccoworldnews.com)
submitted 1 month ago by spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works to c/technology@lemmy.world
35 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Rabat_ Social Media Exchange (SMEX)—a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing human rights in digital spaces across MENA [Middle East and North Africa] — is warning that Israeli-linked software secretly embedded in Samsung phones across the Middle East and North Africa region poses a serious surveillance threat.

According to SMEX, Samsung’s A and M series devices either come preloaded with the app “Aura” or install it automatically through system updates, without the user’s consent. The application reportedly collects a wide range of personal and device-specific data, including IP addresses, device fingerprints, hardware details, and network information.

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[–] TimboSlice@discuss.online 33 points 1 month ago (17 children)

Pixel only?

[–] N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 23 points 1 month ago (14 children)

yes, and you have to get one that is from google and isn't from a carrier so you can unlock the bootloader. Carrier versions have locked bootloaders.

[–] masterofn001@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I have a Canadian carrier purchased phone. Brand new Pixel 9. 5$ a month. For 24 months.

It has only ONCE booted to the Google version of Android.

To flip the toggle to enable OEM unlock.

I kept WiFi off and hadn't inserted a SIM so it couldn't update or do anything else that might have prevented flashing graphene.

Not sure if that was necessary, but it worked.

And now I live my life free of google software surveillance.

[–] Yttra@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Just so nobody else is confused, Canadian carrier phones legally have to be sold unlocked as of 2017

[–] masterofn001@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago

Carrier unlocked, yes.

Bootloader unlocked, no.

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