A note on operating system security¶

There is a singular all-or-nothing, all-encompassing Android security bulletin released every month that covers security issues across the entire system.
Below we break it into five parts solely for ease of understanding for you to determine the general security of a given operating system.
Being behind on any one part means the system is inherently insecure.

1. the version of Android itself, newer versions have more security features/hardening
2. the ASB patch level, these are essential security patches
3. the Pixel ASB patch level, these are recommended security patches and are only provided for the latest Android version. Despite the name, the majority are NOT Pixel specific as described here.
4. the vendor ASB patch level, see Qualcomm
5. and lastly the Linux kernel version

How does DivestOS compare to the other available operating systems?¶

Please see this extensive independently maintained comparison table.

Does DivestOS make my device secure?¶

The short answer: No.
The long answer is that DivestOS is likely the best harm reduction option if your device is no longer in support by its manufacturer or vendor.
Any project or product claiming they make end-of-life devices secure should be rigorously scrutinized.
Lastly it must be noted that privacy and security go hand-in-hand, there is a fundamental limit of how much privacy you can achieve if you do not have security backing it up.

If DivestOS isn't secure, then why should I be using it?¶

To be clear: you should seek out a newer non-EOL device, but not everyone can afford such. Additionally for a handful of use cases DivestOS fills the gap enough to be OKish, eg. offline music/maps/wikipedia device, basic gaming (solitaire/sudoku/etc.), basic browsing of trusted websites with updated browsers, a spare/backup device, website or Android app development/testing, etc. And security aside, it still has substantial benefits over the stock/final release for EOL devices.

Branches¶

Last updated: 2024-11-21
Asterisk* denotes known missing patches
DivestOS inherently cannot and does not include all patches from the monthly Android Security Bulletin.
The patch level shown in the Settings app on DivestOS should not be regarded as accurate, in favor of this page. It merely conveys the most recent month that it may contain patches from.
Also of note, DivestOS typically takes eight months to stabilize after a new Android version is released.

A historical comparison of operating system patch levels is available here, along with patch counts documented here.

Linux Version Status¶

Last updated: 2024-11-21

Devices¶

Last updated: 2024-11-14
Of note, DivestOS only includes firmware on select devices as documented here.
Devices listed below denoted with a '★' can be considered reasonably secure if firmware is included, the device is relocked, and it supports verified boot.
Please also take into account whether or not a device actually has a working bootloader.