Why StellarOS have removed USB-data completely and only allows charging

On StellarOS, we’ve disabled the ability to connect to the phone via USB, allowing it only for charging. This decision was made for several reasons. First, the USB port poses a significant security risk, as it could enable third parties to extract data from your phone or install malware on the OS without your knowledge.

Secondly, technology is evolving. We believe that most users primarily use the USB connection for charging, while data is increasingly stored in the cloud. This makes the USB port unnecessary for data transfer or backup purposes.

In short, there’s no longer a need for the USB port to serve any function beyond charging.

How we have done it

On StellarOS, enabling USB data is impossible. The USB functionality is completely disabled, preventing any connections to computers or other external devices. The OS permits only charging through the USB port, and all USB-related software has been removed.

We’ve integrated a feature called “USB-C Control” directly into the kernel, which disables every aspect of USB functionality—not just at the software level but also at the hardware level. This significantly enhances the USB-C port’s resistance to potential attacks.

A key priority for us is ensuring that our OS is consistently updated with the latest firmware and software from Android (AOSP). In April 2024 and June 2024, Google released two critical updates that patched vulnerabilities in the bootloader. Previously, it was possible to restart a Pixel phone in AFU mode, access the bootloader, and dump the phone’s RAM, which could lead to data extraction. However, these exploits have now been fixed.

For more protection, it is also possible to enable “wipe if USB-extraction is detected“. If StellarOS detects any USB-data extraction, the OS will wipe the entire phone immediately, this is done by Stellar Protect which is deeply integrated to StellarOS.