LineageOS Questions

General security & privacy chat
#1

Hello,
I plan to install LineageOS on a new phone I will be buying. There are replacement apps for almost everything I currently use, except for 2 apps. These apps are a banking app and a gym app.

The banking app functions like a typical online banking app, but is required because it also has 2FA features built in it.

The second is a gym app that is used to check in and out of a gym I go to.

Neither of these require in-app purchases. Both have in-app purchases as options. I never use the optional services requiring in-app purchases.

Is it possible these apps will be on the aurora store and would they work on LineageOS?

#2

I would imagine so. My bank app is on the aurora store.

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#3

Thanks, is my understanding correct that aurora is just a proxy?

#4

It is if you sign into google when you use it. If you don’t it uses a throwaway session.

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#5

I generally use the F-Droid repo for 80% of my apps, since they host FOSS apps and tell you clearly which apps spy on you. For the proprietary apps, I have used Aurora Store or ApkPure.

I have never had any problem installing an app from those three sources in LineageOS, which I have been using since 2015.

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#6

You haven’t said whether you intend to install GApps or not, or micro-G or not, so that may be the deciding factor for some proprietary apps. If you haven’t already, you might want to ask in the LineageOS forum.

FWIW, (and just to give you an idea of the general status) here’s an ongoing community list of banking apps that have been tested with /e/OS, which is more degoogled than most other ROMs, and which has micro-G built-in: https://community.e.foundation/t/list-banking-apps-that-work-on-e-os/33091

Some work, some don’t. /e/ is based on LineageOS, but with more internal modifications.

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#7

If you find those unsuitable, I use calyx os.

https://calyxos.org/

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#8

… and you should complain at your bank that they should not require you to run spyware in order to do 2FA. For example, your bank should be using non-proprietary 2FA (such as HOTP or TOTP) so that you can use an open source app and still get 2FA. (Obviously you won’t get any of the other features of the internet banking app.)

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#9

Yes, I’ve also used calyx os.