For those unaware, CopperheadOS is an open source derivative of AOSP that is focused on hardening security. The OS is available to download and install for free on many Nexus devices, though they directly sell devices with their software pre-installed on them. And now fans of the Google Pixel within the United States and Canada can purchase 32GB or 128GB variants of the device with CopperheadOS pre-installed.
The team behind CopperheadOS is hard at work making exploits harder to pull off on the few devices that they supported, but thanks to the upstream patches that they submit to AOSP, many of us unknowingly reap the benefits of their labor. A short list of security enhancements offered by the OS include using a hardened C standard library and compiler toolchain which catches memory corruption and integer overflows. Their kernel is advertised to be more secure since it is”self-protected” and has a high quality address space layout randomization (ASLR). Furthermore, the team states their SELinux policies are more strict to help strengthen sandboxing so the OS can isolate applications as well as services.
Unlike stock Android, CopperheadOS has a built-in firewall and a focus on securing the network connection with things such as improvements to MAC randomization. And remember, it’s an open source operating system that is based on Android so the sources can be viewed on GitHub right now if you want to see exactly what patches the team has made to AOSP.
As mentioned previously, the operating system itself is open source and free to install on many supported devices. If you support the work behind CopperheadOS and want their security-focused initiatives to continue, the team offers several ways to donate to them, including purchasing one of their devices. That’s why the Google Pixel 32GB variant is priced at $1,049.00 and its 128GB counterpart is priced at $1,149.00. You’re buying more than the device here, as you are also contributing to the longevity of the project as well as continued support for your device (3 years of support, to be exact).
Although, if you’re hoping for a Google Pixel XL model with CopperheadOS to be sold, you’ll have to wait a bit until it is added to their store. When it is added, it will cost $120 more than the Google Pixel.
Source: @CopperheadOS
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