RAW Cyber - Secure Custom Android Operating System

Key takeaways

• RAW Secure Phone: a three-year project in which we built a secure mobile operating system for RAW Cyber.
• A custom Android-based OS hardened with CopperheadOS, with packet inspection that detects and blocks malware.
• A secure app store offers only pre-approved apps, which reduces the risk of vulnerable software on the phone.
• Team: engineers, a technical lead, a tester, a project manager and a UX/UI designer, working in Scrum.

This three-year project, called RAW Secure Phone, aimed to address security vulnerabilities that impact typical smartphone usage by improving security measures without sacrificing the functionality expected of modern smartphones.

The collaboration faced several significant challenges. Because smartphones are central to both personal and professional life, they are highly susceptible to data leaks and malicious attacks. This required building a hardened operating system on an Android base. Another major challenge was implementing cutting-edge security technologies that had not yet been standardized on the market.

We responded to these challenges by developing a custom Android-based operating system enhanced with CopperheadOS to provide the highest level of security. We implemented advanced packet inspection to monitor network traffic closely and proactively detect and block malware attacks. We also created an app store where users can securely download pre-approved apps, which minimizes the risk of security vulnerabilities.

Order Group developed the RAW Secure Phone's secure operating system, advanced packet inspection, and secure app store. The project involved a team of engineers, a technical lead, a tester, a project manager, and a UX/UI designer, working over 3 years with technologies like C/C++, Nginx/Gunicorn, CopperheadOS, and Biocoded, and managed with Scrum.

The project showed how much cybersecurity work depends on research and development. Scrum proved essential for managing a project this complex: it helped Order Group deal with unforeseen challenges and kept the collaboration transparent.