[luca020400]

This operating system, know as firmware running in the DSP.

That's the only sane way to have a working device that needs to handle signals.

It's not hidden in any way, and the kernel/Android actively talks with it, configures it, turns it on/off.

[77pt77]

But the kernel does not know what it does.

In fact, the article claims:

> During operation, the covert operating system (AMSS) has complete control over the hardware, microphone and camera

[the_third_wave]

Yes, it claims AMSS can control hardware. It also claims data is exfiltrated. Read carefully and you'll see it does not claim the data is exfiltrated through AMSS - they're using WiFi for their experiment which has nothing to do with AMSS, the mobile radio firmware.

Correlation does not equate causation but they want you to think it does so you run to their web shop to buy a rebranded Google Pixel 7 (with Samsung's Exynos 5300 radio modem and accompanying firmware which has just as much control over the hardware as Qualcomm's AMSS has...).

[luca020400]

Yep, everything you said is correct.

The AMSS has control of the hardware, but there's different components, each implementing different functionality, they may be able to talk with each other using various IPC mechanism, and they do, but mostly using Android as a middleman ( Linux )

WiFi ( known as cnss on QCOM ) is implemented in a different block than GPS, they don't have direct communication in place. It's routed via the Linux kernel ( and userspace processes )