● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
GrapheneOS App Performance Issue with Hardened Memory Allocator and Solution
Key points
- Osmand app was slow on GrapheneOS due to hardened memory allocator.
- Disabling hardened memory allocator per-app improved Osmand performance.
- This setting is found under 'Exploit protection' in app info.
- Disabling has security implications but was deemed acceptable for Osmand.
Performance Issue Identified
A GrapheneOS user experienced significant slowdowns with the OpenstreetMap for Android (Osmand) application on a Pixel 8 device. This performance degradation was not observed on other Android devices, leading to an investigation into the cause specific to GrapheneOS.
Root Cause: Hardened Memory Allocator
The performance issue was traced to GrapheneOS's hardened memory allocator. This security feature, while beneficial for overall system security, introduced considerable overhead for Osmand, likely due to the app's continuous data loading and discarding during map scrolling.
Per-App Solution Implemented
A solution was found by disabling the hardened memory allocator specifically for the Osmand app. This setting is accessible by long-tapping the app icon, selecting 'info', and navigating to 'Exploit protection'. After disabling the 'hardened memory allocator' option and restarting Osmand, the app's performance returned to normal.
Security Considerations
Disabling the hardened memory allocator carries a security drawback. However, for Osmand, which primarily handles offline map data and infrequent online updates, the user determined that the trade-off between security and performance was acceptable in this specific context.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
A GrapheneOS user identified that the hardened memory allocator caused performance issues for the Osmand app. Disabling this protection on a per-app basis resolved the slowdown, allowing Osmand to run at normal speeds.