Question about custom rom safety/security

[AC Question]

Hey guys, so I’m a fairly new android user. On S7 Edge running stock nougat touchwiz firmware. I am very interested in trying a custom rom like remix resurrection to get a snappier stock android performance and have things like software navigation buttons on screen but a couple of things worry me a little.
Stock firmwares have security updates etc. How safe is it to use a custom rom, like a well known one? What’s stopping the maker of a custom rom from baking in some malware or virus that collects data/passwords and other private information? How often does this happen and does it happen at all? Is it safe to use a custom rom as a daily driver in terms of security?

 

[anon(238680)]

Welcome to Android Central. As with anything outside of approved sources you take your chances. Sources like XDA would be fairly secure, but there are no guarantees. I also see many questions here from users who have either bricked their devices or get into situations they have no knowledge of from doing exactly what you propose.

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[Rukbat]

But ... Remix Resurrection is known to be a pretty decent ROM. Although the developer doesn't keep up with security fixes, so in a few months or so, when a new threat comes out, you'll probably be switching to another custom ROM that was created from a stock ROM that had protection from that threat. (And make sure it's the RR ROM for your model of the S7. If you flash a ROM made for another model phone, you risk a hard brick (bricking the phone in a way that can't be recovered from - a soft brick can always be recovered from by booting into the download screen and flashing the stock ROM).