So I’ve been using Rustdesk with a self hosted server for business and personal use now for some time. However, it is definitely the sketchiest foss software I’ve used. It seems to be based in China but the developers keep lying and saying its in Singapore.
Here is a list if everything I’ve found:
https://www.reddit.com/r/selfhosted/comments/14kjvkg/community_consensus_on_rustdesk_with_all_the/
https://github.com/rustdesk/rustdesk/discussions/1159
https://www.reddit.com/r/rustdesk/comments/y230hf/my_rustdesk_client_try_to_communication_with/
https://www.reddit.com/r/selfhosted/comments/10ppntj/reminder_about_the_shadyness_of_rustdesk/
https://www.reddit.com/r/selfhosted/comments/uurta8/_/
It seems that now the clients and OSS server are completely foss which is good. They also no longer have public servers in China according to them. In the client itself it also now has better defaults so you are less at risk of getting attacked.
It still is sketch but it now is slightly less sketch I guess? Either way its not ideal.
The US government is a dangerous authoritarian government and they heavily influence private business in very nasty ways.
If I am remembering correctly, Australia also has laws that allow the government to force private companies to build backdoors. I think it was the Ass Access Act.
Oh yeah I’m not denying that.
I’m just saying its short sighted to take any shots at China when the west are authoritarian themselves.
The difference is that there is SOME accountability in the West and we can, to an extent, influence who leads us, especially in Europe.
So if flagrant misuse does appear, there’s a much higher risk of it being discovered and of heads rolling in the west.
Think of the number of exposed scandals in the West and compare that to China.
And I’m not throwing shit China’s way and thinking the West infallible. I’ve been to China plenty and worked with awesome Chinese people plenty. There’s a lot to love in China.
But let’s not get lost in whataboutisms. Where would you rather raise your children?!