I have it cut off from the internet on AFWall+ and I'm using XPrivacyLua with everything checked except "read clipboard". How can I now make sure whether or not it's connecting to the internet?
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A keyboard app is just like other Android apps. For example, here is the URL list that is contained in the Gboard app (though possibly not exhaustive, look under "Interesting Strings" section), so you may want to check the firewall if those domains are already blocked or still allowed. – Andrew T. Mar 16 '22 at 07:46
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2You can also use an app like PCAPDroid to watch (and record) the traffic caused by apps. Traffic can be filtered per app if you want. – Izzy Mar 16 '22 at 08:32
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@Izzy thanks Izzy! I downloaded it and it turns out that connections are being made! Utterly shocked and disappointed right now. Here is what I see https://i.imgur.com/sXACypd.png and this is even though I have it cut off https://i.imgur.com/cWzw2gc.png. How can I now make sure it's completely cut off ftom the web? – JJrussel Mar 19 '22 at 11:26
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- what would you have expected from MS? (oof) // 2) is that a screenshot from AFWall? Are you in white-list or black-list mode (i.e. are by default all connections disallowed, or allowed)? Because if by default connections are forbidden, you'd just have allowed them now. And otherwise I'd wonder how they can be made if the firewall won't let them through: the app will try nevertheless, but PCAPDroid should show them as unsuccessful (if at all). I've never dug into that, but they are shown as "closed" – the 5.4kB suggesting it was data transferred.
– Izzy Mar 19 '22 at 13:18 -
@Izzy Checked is "dis"allowed to connect and yes it's AFWall+. I also wonder how they can be made if the firewall - supposedly - won't let them. I was thinking maybe there are other components of the keyboard that's not part of the bundle of what's checked in AFWall? Maybe those other components are not showing up on AFWall? – JJrussel Mar 19 '22 at 16:21
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Follow-up question: How can I block a certain app from connecting to the internet? – Andrew T. Mar 19 '22 at 17:09
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@JJrussel see my comments on your new question. I'll take my above comment and convert it to an answer now, including what additions are made by the comments – as that seems to have answered *this* question. You've already opened a new one for the resulting issue. – Izzy Mar 19 '22 at 18:55
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You can also use an app like PCAPDroid to watch (and record) the traffic caused by apps. Traffic can be filtered per app if you want. I recommend installing it from F-Droid (which I generally recommend as first place to go for apps, not just for privacy reasons).
I took your screenshot from your comment, and added a second one from the app's listing at Google Play: the first shows there are indeed connection attempts made by the app, the second shows how the details would look like if you'd tap one entry in the list. In this second screen it would be interesting to see how many packages have been transferred up and down – i.e. if there really was any traffic, or if it's all just failed attempts.
Izzy
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