As we know, buying an older phone can be a big security risk, as it might not get updates anymore. How about laptops? i would install Linux on the laptop. Is it a security risk to buy a used and refurbished computer from maybe 2019?
If you’re installing a fresh checksummed Linux download and formatting the entire drive during install you shouldn’t have any worries. Go for it.
This depends on your threat model and circumstances:
Old versions of OS are generally a security risk.
Old hardware may lack some modern security features near the hardware level. However these usually protect against tampering with BIOS or bootloaders. In general threats like this need physical access to the machine. I don’t know much about TPM and keystorage in general, but those are what this might concern.
Other than that, old networking hardware might have vulnerabilities that are either not patched with software or are impossible to path. This extends to any device and all device-drivers, but network-devices to me sound the most exposed surface.
This risk however depends on not just the device but the usage as well. If you use it inside a local network, you lose a layer of defence. If you use it in an untrusted network, you are exposed directly.
I would usually not be concerned about old hardware as long as it can run a modern OS I trust. This means most laptops are fine, but phones not so much.
Especially phones with no access to patched applications become less and less secure as time goes by. Old hardware is a small risk; old OS is a concern; old browser on said old OS and you can bet there is at least one serious, well-known and already used vulnerability.
I’m personally tinkering with an old 4th-gen iPad, hoping to secure it or at least jailbreak it. However I am not expecting it to ever be a safe device after that, but a glorified IOT device.
I would usually not be concerned about old hardware as long as it can run a modern OS I trust. This means most laptops are fine, but phones not so much.
This is not a good suggestion because even with up to date and modern operating systems, hardware vulnerabilities can often be leveraged
2019 isn’t terribly old. Just installing Linux does not serve as a panacea for all of your security woes.
You’ll probably want to (or not want to, depending on who you ask) use UEFI. You’ll want to harden and containerise and use firewalls and so on… Depends on your threat model.
But, the fundamental question is that you can install Linux and as long as you keep it up to date, a large number of vulnerabilities will be covered. Just not all.
Security is not guaranteed by simply using linux. It may even worsen it.
primary difference between a computer and a phone in this regard is that old comouters can perfectly well run modern Linux. with a phone, you’re lucky to have root at all so good luck updating it yourself.
phone have secuirty risks because they are gimped on purpose. a general computing device can be updated theoretically forever.
Older machines can be at risk from hardware flaws. But if your machine can run Windows 11, which most machines from 2019 can, you can safely use and install Linux on it. I recommend not buying a new machine that lacks official Windows 11 support even if you want to run Linux.