| Revision as of 21:45, 24 September 2020 edit189.158.245.106 (talk) →See also: skip redirectsTags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit← Previous edit | Revision as of 12:53, 25 September 2020 edit undoMr. Stradivarius (talk | contribs)Edit filter managers, Administrators59,191 edits add a paragraph about the project's formation in 2014Next edit → | ||
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| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| The CopperheadOS project was started in 2014 by two developers, James Donaldson and Daniel Micay. Donaldson and Micay had formed an information security firm that year called Copperhead Security, with the aim of serving clients in the Canadian legal and intelligence industries. During this time, they noticed an absence of secure, open-source operating systems for mobile devices, and they created CopperheadOS under an open source license to try to address this need.<ref name="pauli-2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.com/2016/12/13/prerolled_stripped_hardened_copperhead_androids_hit_oz_nz/|title=Pre-rolled stripped, hardened Copperhead Androids hit Oz, NZ|last=Pauli|first=Darren|date=December 13, 2016|publisher=The Register|access-date=September 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925121942/https://www.theregister.com/2016/12/13/prerolled_stripped_hardened_copperhead_androids_hit_oz_nz/|archive-date=September 25, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="twit-279">{{cite AV media |last1=Howell |first1=Jason |last2=Richards |first2=Ron |last3=Trapani |first3=Gina |last4=Donaldson |first4=James |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LupjgwVnMs0&t=9m07s |date=August 17, 2016 |title=All About Android 279: Peak Phablet |medium=Podcast |access-date=September 25, 2015 |format= |minutes=9 |publisher=This Week in Tech |via=YouTube}}</ref> | |||
| The developers announced CopperheadOS in an April 2015 blog post. According to the announcement, the operating system was designed to be a "secure-by-default version of ]" aimed at privacy-conscious users.<ref name="copperhead-secure-android-rom">{{cite web|url=https://copperhead.co/blog/secure-android-smartphones/|title=Copperhead OS: Secure Android ROM|date=April 22, 2015|publisher=Copperhead Limited|accessdate=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329111039/https://copperhead.co/blog/secure-android-smartphones/|archive-date=March 29, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> The announcement details the development team's focus on hardening the underlying operating system, including improvements to stock Android's ], hardening of the ], an improved ], and hardening of the ].<ref name="copperhead-secure-android-rom" /> Initially, the project was ], with the code located on ].<ref name="schirrmacher">{{cite web|url=https://www.heise.de/security/meldung/CopperheadOS-Alternatives-System-will-Android-sicherer-machen-2827911.html|title=CopperheadOS: Alternatives System will Android sicherer machen|trans-title=CopperheadOS: Alternative system wants to make Android more secure|language=German|date=September 28, 2015|first=Dennis|last=Schirrmacher|publisher=Heise|access-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001072513/https://www.heise.de/security/meldung/CopperheadOS-Alternatives-System-will-Android-sicherer-machen-2827911.html|archive-date=October 1, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The code was based on ],<ref name="schirrmacher" /> and by the time of the first alpha release in August 2015 included support for the ] and ].<ref name="copperhead-alpha">{{cite web|url=https://copperhead.co/blog/alpha/|title=CopperheadOS Alpha|date=August 21, 2015|publisher=Copperhead Limited|accessdate=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329111345/https://copperhead.co/blog/alpha/|archive-date=March 29, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.androidworld.it/2015/09/08/copperheados-firmware-open-source-sicuro-333633/|title=La prima alpha di CopperheadOS, il firmware open-source sicuro|author=Lorenzo Quiroli|date=September 8, 2015|website=www.androidworld.it|trans-title=The first alpha of CopperheadOS, the secure open-source firmware|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909143738/https://www.androidworld.it/2015/09/08/copperheados-firmware-open-source-sicuro-333633/|archive-date=September 9, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
| Copperhead was incorporated in November 2015 as a Toronto-based company backing the project.<ref>{{Cite web|title=MRAS Business Registry Search|url=https://beta.canadasbusinessregistries.ca/search/results?search=%7BCoppperhead%20Limited%7D|access-date=2020-08-27|website=beta.canadasbusinessregistries.ca}}</ref> In 2015, CopperheadOS was being developed by a newly formed security company, Copperhead, based in Toronto. In November 2015, Copperhead CTO, Daniel Micay, posted a "rather controversial" tweet criticizing the security of the newly released ] because it lacks the security improvements in Android 6.<ref>{{Cite web|last=November 2015|first=Lucian Armasu|date=November 13, 2015|title=Copperhead CTO: Nexus Phones Already More Secure Than BlackBerry Priv|url=https://www.tomshardware.com/news/copperhead-nexus-more-secure-priv,30565.html|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-19|website=Tom's Hardware|language=en}}</ref>{{Relevance inline|talk=Relevance of BlackBerry Priv criticism to CopperheadOS history|date=August 2020}} | Copperhead was incorporated in November 2015 as a Toronto-based company backing the project.<ref>{{Cite web|title=MRAS Business Registry Search|url=https://beta.canadasbusinessregistries.ca/search/results?search=%7BCoppperhead%20Limited%7D|access-date=2020-08-27|website=beta.canadasbusinessregistries.ca}}</ref> In 2015, CopperheadOS was being developed by a newly formed security company, Copperhead, based in Toronto. In November 2015, Copperhead CTO, Daniel Micay, posted a "rather controversial" tweet criticizing the security of the newly released ] because it lacks the security improvements in Android 6.<ref>{{Cite web|last=November 2015|first=Lucian Armasu|date=November 13, 2015|title=Copperhead CTO: Nexus Phones Already More Secure Than BlackBerry Priv|url=https://www.tomshardware.com/news/copperhead-nexus-more-secure-priv,30565.html|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-19|website=Tom's Hardware|language=en}}</ref>{{Relevance inline|talk=Relevance of BlackBerry Priv criticism to CopperheadOS history|date=August 2020}} | ||
Revision as of 12:53, 25 September 2020
Security and privacy focused proprietary mobile OS based on Android | This article may lend undue weight to certain ideas, incidents, or controversies. Please help improve it by rewriting it in a balanced fashion that contextualizes different points of view. (August 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 | |
 Screenshot of CopperheadOS on a Nexus 5X | |
| Developer | Copperhead company |
|---|---|
| OS family | Unix-like |
| Working state | Current |
| Source model | Closed source (source-available under proprietary licensing for approved partners) |
| Latest release | 2020.09.16 / 17 September 2020; 4 years ago (2020-09-17) |
| Repository | github |
| Marketing target | Security / privacy-focused smartphones |
| Update method | Over-the-air (OTA) or sideloaded update packages |
| Package manager | APK with F-Droid bundled as a frontend |
| License | CC NC 4.0, GPL2 (kernel), GPL3 (F-Droid) |
| Official website | copperhead |
CopperheadOS is a proprietary mobile operating system for smartphones, based on the Android mobile platform. It adds privacy and security features to the official releases of the Android Open Source Project by Google.
History
The CopperheadOS project was started in 2014 by two developers, James Donaldson and Daniel Micay. Donaldson and Micay had formed an information security firm that year called Copperhead Security, with the aim of serving clients in the Canadian legal and intelligence industries. During this time, they noticed an absence of secure, open-source operating systems for mobile devices, and they created CopperheadOS under an open source license to try to address this need.
The developers announced CopperheadOS in an April 2015 blog post. According to the announcement, the operating system was designed to be a "secure-by-default version of Android" aimed at privacy-conscious users. The announcement details the development team's focus on hardening the underlying operating system, including improvements to stock Android's address space layout randomization, hardening of the Linux kernel, an improved memory allocator, and hardening of the TCP/IP stack. Initially, the project was open source, with the code located on GitHub. The code was based on CyanogenMod, and by the time of the first alpha release in August 2015 included support for the Google Nexus 5 and Samsung Galaxy S4.
Copperhead was incorporated in November 2015 as a Toronto-based company backing the project. In 2015, CopperheadOS was being developed by a newly formed security company, Copperhead, based in Toronto. In November 2015, Copperhead CTO, Daniel Micay, posted a "rather controversial" tweet criticizing the security of the newly released BlackBerry Priv because it lacks the security improvements in Android 6.
In February 2016, CopperheadOS Beta was released with initial support for the Nexus 5, Nexus 9 and Nexus 5X. From this point forwards, it was based directly on the Android Open Source Project instead of using CyanogenMod. The move away from CyanogenMod and the lack of vendor support led to dropping support for the Samsung Galaxy S4.
In July 2016, the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X could be purchased from the Copperhead website. The Nexus 6P was sold for $750 with CopperheadOS installed, as compared with $500 from Google.
In March 2017, official releases for Nexus devices were available for free on the website and Google Pixel phones could be purchased with the OS pre-installed. The 32GB version was $1,049 or with 128GB it was $1,149. Downloads of official releases for Pixel devices were not made available and users now had to either purchase a device from Copperhead or purchase the OS with their device sent in for flashing.
In November 2017, CopperheadOS OTA updates were briefly shut down because competitors were flashing CopperheadOS on devices and selling them commercially, in violation of license terms.
As of January 2018, Pixel and Pixel XL devices were available from Copperhead with CopperheadOS pre-installed. Pixel 2 and 2 XL alpha versions were announced. Official releases for the Pixel 2 and 2 XL were available only for "internal use", maintaining the status quo of only Nexus 5X and 6P releases being available for public download.
In June 2018, Copperhead and then Chief-Technology Officer Daniel Micay parted ways after a dispute on the direction of the company and CopperheadOS. Daniel Micay continued the open source project as the Android Hardening project and later rebranded it to GrapheneOS.
In March 2019, Android Pie based versions were available for 4 supported devices: Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, which could be purchased from Copperhead's website.
Copperhead continued development of CopperheadOS as a proprietary product with the sources under a non-commercial usage license. As of August 2020, CopperheadOS sources and install files are not available for public download and can only be obtained from a "partner network" under a combination of licenses.
Compatibility
CopperheadOS currently supports the following smartphone models in the Google Pixel product line:
Reception
In August 2016, J.M. Porup of ArsTechnica.com wrote a detailed review of CopperheadOS.
In January 2018, Tarus Balog of opensource.com was favorably impressed by features in CopperheadOS, but he found the lack of Google applications difficult, and was confused by licensing terms and conditions. Balog said he initially used a Nexus 6P because available Pixel and Pixel XL phones from Copperhead were too expensive. At that time source code was available, but he was unable to successfully complete his own build.
Controversies and other projects
In 2016, a Tor Phone prototype was developed based on CopperheadOS.
In 2018 and 2019, CopperheadOS was identified as an Android Operating System being used for phones for criminal activities.
In a two-article series, Kingshuk De of piunikaweb.com wrote about the infighting over "business policy" between CEO James Donaldson and "lead developer" Daniel Micay, saying, "James ultimately fired Daniel." Detailing some of the public exchanges on social media, De wrote, "Mocking the shortcomings of the claims by Copperhead Limited is a favorite game" for Micay. De stated Micay made a "serious accusation" against his former company, and according to Donaldson, he and Micay are in a legal battle. De said RattlesnakeOS and #! / hashbangOS were other open-source forks of the Android Open Source Project offering an alternative to CopperheadOS and taking inspiration from it.
See also
References
- Porup, J.M. (August 9, 2016). "Copperhead OS: The startup that wants to solve Android's woeful security". arstechnica.co.uk. Ars Technica UK.
- ^ Corbet, Jonathan (February 17, 2016). "CopperheadOS: Securing the Android". lwn.net.
- Pauli, Darren (December 13, 2016). "Pre-rolled stripped, hardened Copperhead Androids hit Oz, NZ". The Register. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
- Howell, Jason; Richards, Ron; Trapani, Gina; Donaldson, James (August 17, 2016). All About Android 279: Peak Phablet (Podcast). This Week in Tech. 9 minutes in. Retrieved September 25, 2015 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Copperhead OS: Secure Android ROM". Copperhead Limited. April 22, 2015. Archived from the original on March 29, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ^ Schirrmacher, Dennis (September 28, 2015). "CopperheadOS: Alternatives System will Android sicherer machen" [CopperheadOS: Alternative system wants to make Android more secure] (in German). Heise. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- "CopperheadOS Alpha". Copperhead Limited. August 21, 2015. Archived from the original on March 29, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- Lorenzo Quiroli (September 8, 2015). "La prima alpha di CopperheadOS, il firmware open-source sicuro" [The first alpha of CopperheadOS, the secure open-source firmware]. www.androidworld.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on September 9, 2015.
- "MRAS Business Registry Search". beta.canadasbusinessregistries.ca. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
- November 2015, Lucian Armasu (November 13, 2015). "Copperhead CTO: Nexus Phones Already More Secure Than BlackBerry Priv". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Chokkattu, Julian (July 12, 2016). "Copperhead is selling Google's Nexus devices with its pre-installed secure OS". www.digitaltrends.com. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - "Google Pixel with CopperheadOS is Available for Purchase in the U.S. and Canada". xda-developers. 2017-03-06. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
- ^ "CopperheadOS Disables Nexus Update Server After Licensing Violations". xda-developers. 2017-11-12. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
- Pakalski, Ingo (13 November 2017). "Copperhead OS: Updates waren vorübergehend komplett abgeschaltet - Golem.de". www.golem.de (in German). Retrieved 2020-08-28.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Balog, Tarus (29 Jan 2018). "CopperheadOS: Security features, installing apps, and more". Opensource.com. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "CopperheadOS is Coming to the Google Pixel 2/2 XL". xda-developers. 2018-01-17. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
- "GrapheneOS is a security and privacy focused mobile operating system". YugaTech | Philippines Tech News & Reviews. 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- Tremmel, Moritz; Grüner, Sebastian. "GrapheneOS: Ein gehärtetes Android ohne Google, bitte - Golem.de" [GrapheneOS: A hardened Android without Google, please]. www.golem.de (in German). Retrieved 2020-08-11.
- "CopperheadOS' Android Pie update is now available for the Pixel & Pixel 2". xda-developers. 2019-03-28. Retrieved 2020-08-19.
- "Updates - Copperhead". 2020-07-24. Archived from the original on 2020-07-24. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
- ^ "Installation - Copperhead". web.archive.org. 2020-08-20. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- "Licensing - Copperhead". web.archive.org. 2020-08-20. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- Porup, J.M. (2016-08-10). "Copperhead OS: The startup that wants to solve Android's woeful security". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Staff, Ars (2016-11-22). "Tor phone is antidote to Google "hostility" over Android, says developer". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
- Verma, Adarsh (2016-11-25). "Tor Phone Is The "Super-secure Version Of Android", Developed By Tor Project". Fossbytes. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
- "CEO Pleads Guilty to Selling Encrypted Phones to Organized Crime". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
- "Secure Phone Companies Clamp Down After Sinaloa Cartel-Linked Arrest". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
- "Inside the Phone Company Secretly Run By Drug Traffickers". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
- "The demise of CopperheadOS and rise of its successors". PiunikaWeb. 2019-02-05. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
- "Ex-CopperheadOS dev spits fire as CEO says project not dead". PiunikaWeb. 2019-02-06. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
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