CyanogenMod 9 To Offer Customizable Levels of Root Access

 

Android users, maybe more so than any other group of smartphone owners, are used to making plenty of security-related decisions regarding their phones. While you've got the jailbreak crowd with iOS, and both the legit unlockers and full-on custom ROM guys with Windows Phone, neither platform puts so many security decisions in the hands of its end-users as Android does. When we're talking about custom ROMs, there can be even more security-critical options directly under the user's control. Probably the most common question faced by Android users, starting to stretch their wings out into the world of more powerful apps, is whether or not they should root their devices. There are good arguments on both sides of the issue, but not all users get a choice; some custom ROMs make the assumption that users will want root access and don't make it easy to give it up. The CyanogenMod team would like to try doing things a little differently, and is planing on offering new customizable root options to give you even more control over how you secure your phone. 

Previously, CyanogenMod releases gave you full superuser access. If you don't really find yourself using apps that need it, it might be nice to be able to turn it off. That's why CyanogenMod 9 will let you choose from four levels of root. 

Besides disabled everywhere and enabled everywhere, CM9 will include two custom options. You'll be able to grant root to apps without the Android Debug Bridge getting it, or you can give ADB root while keeping apps locked-down. Sounds like a pretty graceful solution to us.