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ukanth / afwall

AFWall+ (Android Firewall +) - iptables based firewall for Android
GNU General Public License v3.0
2.78k stars 455 forks source link

Non-root VPN backend #312

Open patcon opened 10 years ago

patcon commented 10 years ago

Would you be up for considering another provider backend using VPN for those who aren't rooted? The approach that mobiwol has taken seems interesting: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.netspark.firewall

A little context, in case it helps: I'm trying to get some activist friends using better privacy tools. These tools tend to rely on dependable data if they have any hope of providing message reliability comparable to traditional, insecure voice and sms. I'm hoping to coach them to use AFWall instead of the more obvious mobile data toggling that they're used to using, leaving the device accessible for their highly-available communication apps (like Redphone and TextSecure). I'm really hoping there's a solution that doesn't involve me individually rooting phones :)

cernekee commented 10 years ago

I'm hoping to coach them to use AFWall instead of the more obvious mobile data toggling that they're used to using

What are they trying to block by toggling mobile data? Is it absolutely critical for these blocks to work 100% of the time?

What did you think of Mobiwol?

patcon commented 10 years ago

Ah, sorry, wasn't clear on that. I have run a couple times into people who disable data to conserve between uses, and then are frustrated when their textsecure messages aren't delivered promptly. I want them to be able to essentially disable data (with AFWall), but still get messages (like they would if using sms. Then the more secure channel fits works with the established habit of "turning data off" when not in use.

patcon commented 10 years ago

And I didn't actually try mobiwol, since it's not available on f-droid, and I don't have the Play Store.

I'll give it a go on my other device though :)

cernekee commented 10 years ago

I didn't actually try mobiwol, since it's not available on f-droid, and I don't have the Play Store.

I usually use APK Downloader.

patcon commented 10 years ago

@cernekee Just tried NoRoot Firewall app, and while it's missing a few features, the UI and UX is absolutely amazing. I'm tempted to not even try Mobiwol.

Didn't see ads or any other monetized apps by the NoRoot dev, so send him an email asking his thoughts on open sourcing. I'll keep this updated.

patcon commented 10 years ago

And thanks :+1:

patcon commented 9 years ago

Thanks for writing that up @CHEF-KOCH. It's not immediately relevant to me personally, but going to cc @n8fr8 and @eighthave, for whom it might be.

(fwiw I don't think "NoRoot Firewall" is open source...?)