Don't know much about cellphones, but how secure is our data? Does this depend on who makes the hardware, software, or who your network provider is? Who provides the safest network between AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon? I am currently using Verizon. What sorts of questions should you be asking to find out whether your cellphone data is safe. Thanks in advanced.
This is a super complicated topic. First most legit websites now a days use SSL which means your requests and data sent back and forth from your browser to the web server is encrypted. Along that route though your provider has access to the request metadata which there is no getting around unless you use a VPN where you are effectively changing who is responsible for your request routing to someone you choose over just using your service provider. The biggest piece of intrusive info your cell provider gets is location data and there isn’t really a good way around this other than shutting off your phone’s relevant services when not in use
There is no difference among the top 4 carriers. The phones and their connection to the carrier is rock solid, with one exception...the fake eNodeB (masquerading celltower). That is expensive and illegal. All carriers save any non-ssl traffic. So you must use ssl to keep private.
What I have failed to see is anyone point to the 9 page of terms and conditions during the set up of your device. You have already agreed to more than you can comprehend. You can choose closed & integrated or open & fragmented each offers its own fans
Anything that passes over the wire is fair game. US carriers used to be barred from sharing data, but Trump administration changed that. If it stays local the your device you can usually encrypt sensetive data via 3rd party apps/internal settings, which prevents anyone else from accessing. Tips: avoid free VPNs. Backup and reset regularly.
The government could always MITM cellular data, long before the Trump administration
Yeah but it was more expensive to obtain back then, and you usually needed some security clearance to access it. The more foundational change was granting access to sell to private companies/randoms.