I found out that my mom is using an older phone that serves her just fine, but last recieved updates in 2021.

Realistically, how dangerous is this? What are the scenarios that could potentially happen with a phone that out of date?

She may be open to something like lineage OS, but I don’t want to make her phone less familiar for her, which would be harder to use. She is not very techy but also not fearful of a little tinkering. I don’t live near her so she will not have anyone knowledgeable to troubleshoot if the need arises.

I’m not a infosec person at ALL so I genuinely don’t know what she is exposed to.

Let me know if I should post this in another community instead.

  • 7fb2adfb45bafcc01c80@lemmy.world
    1·
    14 hours ago

    I think it depends what’s on your phone. I don’t use mine for email or banking; it’s 2FA, phone calls, and a map. I’m using a Galaxy S8 that I purchased in the summer of 2017, and I don’t get any updates any more.

    If I had bank account information or access to other sensitive data I’d be a lot more concerned.

    My biggest problem is apps that stop working. My carrier doesn’t support my phone with their voicemail app, for example.

  • Cheradenine@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    8·
    3 days ago

    If it is not getting updates then it isn’t getting vendor security patches, it will still get Google Play Services and Android System Webview patches assuming those are enabled.

    I wouldn’t use any kind of banking or payment apps, so anything linked to an account from which money can be directly debited. That can be a lot of things from EBay to highway toll collection to paying for coffee.

    I’m not trying to fear monger but it’s time mom got a new phone. Use this one for streaming in the kitchen, or give it to a niece. Locked down of course.

    Edit: that’s if it’s Android, if it’s iOS it will not get any patches once it’s end of life.

  • RodgeGrabTheCat@sh.itjust.works
    4·
    3 days ago

    With an out of date phone it will be easier to bypass it’s security. Normally, cops and hackers have to use a series of exploits to bypass an Android’s security. With a phone not receiving security updates this gets easier.

    Installing LineageOS will not fix the security problem because Lineage requires the bootloader to be unlocked. With a locked bootloader, the phone checks to see if the OS has be altered, this is called “verified boot”.

    This video from TheHatedOne explains verified boot around the 10 minute mark https://invidious.nerdvpn.de/watch?v=WkQ_OCzuLNg

  • BCsven@lemmy.ca
    2·
    3 days ago

    Lineage is good, but may not have updates for the particlar phone, but it may be newer than 2021. If she can afford a new phone at some point, get a Pixel, flash GrapheneOS on it, it can be setup to access all the google stuff if you like; main feature is 5 years of updates are guaranteed.