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Most of the app now require acces to the phone calls..even a news app requires it, sms app such as go sms also requires it. So I want to know after knowing that an app will be able to acces your phone call you still download it? And does anyone in what way the developers use such info?
Sent from my E10i using XDA App
Excellent topic, I'm really troubled by this. The business world makes a whole lot of money based on the average persons inertia - their lack of information or willingness when it comes to the products and services they use and the money they use to pay for them. Particular mobile phone network providers come to mind, who are happy to charge the most expensive prices because people don't know or don't care.
This lazy attitude is seeping into the Android app world. It will be a small per centage of us who will realize this threat and do something about it - exactly like cookies and public wifi privacy etc.
For those of us already interested, are there websites or apps which can guide us on this?
I had thought about it before but it seemed to be all apps out there at least need to access your internet, calls, phonebook and etc.. Not sure really if some of these nasty apps has the evil purpose to steal our vital informations in the phone... say if we're checking our bank account or something similar..
What I practice:
1) Installed AVG pro and do scan regularly, and set to scan every newly installed apps.
2) Use both cache cleaner and history eraser to clean up all traces once a day.
3) Hope they don't see me as a target.
Don't worry.
I think access to the phone calls is just to minimize the running app in case you receive a call. In other case you would not even realize an incoming call?!
Deehee3 said:
Don't worry.
I think access to the phone calls is just to minimize the running app in case you receive a call. In other case you would not even realize an incoming call?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about data? When you install an app in most cases you allow data access to it.
Searching for updates or viewing developers homepage maybe?
Sent from my U20i using XDA App
Deehee3 said:
Searching for updates or viewing developers homepage maybe?
Sent from my U20i using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What if not? What if app you´ve installed is spying on you and sending info to hackers. How would you know?
On android we have the luck that there are a lot of applications that are open source. When I have to choose an application, I always choose and support the open projects!
You will notice that most of those applications don't need all that personal information! Makes you wonder...
On other systems, apps usually have an user/administrator scheme, where the 'user' has access to some things and 'administrator' has access to everything.
There is no such thing on Android (except if you have a rooted phone and some app asks for superuser access, but you get a requester asking for permissions as well).
Each app has to specifically ask for permissions or the system will deny it. A spyware has to ask for those permissions or it won't work.
Some permission requests to look out for:
- "Call phone"
can be used by the application to silently dial some "premium" numbers
- "Send SMS"
can be used to send SMS to special "premium" numbers
- "Record phone calls"
can be harmful if associated with "internet access" permission
- "Access fine location"/"access coarse location" and "internet access"
can be used for tracking purposes
Many apps ask for:
- "Phone identity" / "internet access"
they use it for "statistics purposes" (flurry.com mostly) but it is bad. The developer should always inform the user about those.
BTW, that an app is open source makes no difference. Someone can always (willingly or not) tamper with the final build. And not everyone reviews open source apps.
zapek666 said:
A spyware has to ask for those permissions or it won't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure. But if an app legitimately ask for data transmission and file system access, AND you grant it, how would you know it is not using the granted rights for something else?
ppirate said:
On android we have the luck that there are a lot of applications that are open source. When I have to choose an application, I always choose and support the open projects!
You will notice that most of those applications don't need all that personal information! Makes you wonder...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don´t tell me that you evaluate the source code of each application you load from the market. And even so, how would you know the difference between what is shown to you and the final build, available on the market?
vlissine said:
Sure. But if an app legitimately ask for data transmission and file system access, AND you grant it, how would you know it is not using the granted rights for something else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Filesystem access are limited to the external memory card. An app with such permission cannot access other apps' private data (which are stored on the phone).
Android apps are all sandboxed into their own homes.
A good example of a suspicious application is HTML5 Reference.
"This HTML5 reference lists all tags supported in the HTML5 specification.", fine. Let's look at the permissions:
Network communication: full Internet access
Phone calls: read phone state and identity
While the first 2 could be produced as a side effect of the developer implementing some "statistics library" (flurry.com or so), the next 2:
Your location: fine (GPS) location
Your personal information: read sensitive log data
Are a giveaway that this app does a bit more than just listing HTML reference tags
zapek666 said:
Filesystem access are limited to the external memory card. An app with such permission cannot access other apps' private data (which are stored on the phone).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, how about a picture viewer, which usually picks pictures from each and every
directory, no matter if you want it (and not only from memory card).
Hey vlissine and zapek666. You both have a point.
One individual cannot review every code he or she uses. And also one does not only uses his or her own builds of the projects. But every now and then, I have to go into a project, mostly to add functionality. During that time, I usually have to go over a lot of code to understand the program. It is no guarantee, but you can imagine that some strange code will stand out.
I'm surely not the only person. So while one individual is not capable of such an endeavor. A lot are.
Your other point is as valid as can be. But here again, builds are comparable.
Surely, one does not have to find himself or herself obliged to use certain kind of projects. But to me, when I have the change, I use and support the open source project. One important reason is because of the concern raised by the original poster!
http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2011/03/update-on-android-market-security.html
Apparently we were not that paranoid, thinking of spying apps
Two options:
1) To avoid being spy and get super paranoid about it... ditch your smartphone and get those early 2000 phones with only calls and sms capable.
2) Use the smart phone eg: X10 mini/pro or any android phones and ignore these spying scene and live with it like nothing ever going to happen since this new technologies really live up our life nowadays..
farsight73 said:
Two options:
1) To avoid being spy and get super paranoid about it... ditch your smartphone and get those early 2000 phones with only calls and sms capable.
2) Use the smart phone eg: X10 mini/pro or any android phones and ignore these spying scene and live with it like nothing ever going to happen since this new technologies really live up our life nowadays..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One more option - stop giving stupid advises when you have nothing to say.
maybe apps need to call functions or need it to run?
write them your self if your that bothered?
...
Sent from my E10i using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
Many of you have probably already read the news:
Apple, Google Receive Phone Users' Locations
I must say, they're doing it to a degree beyond what most of us may have assumed was taking place.
How can we stop this? Do we know if cooked ROMs also do it?
Update 4/25/2011 5:00PM ET:
- Here's how I stop Android from phoning home.
- I dont' use this, but here's a sweet google removal script.
- A seperate thread for discussion: Why the data Android sends to Google is less anonymous than Apple's implementation
Update 4/26/2011 9:25PM ET:
- [Q] How do we protect our Android device from the CelleBrite UFED?
Update 6/8/2011 5:24PM ET:
- Use Autostarts to stop apps from opening behind your back!
Its not that they care where you are personally, you're more of an anonomous statistic to them. They use these huge mountains of collected data to decide which markets are the most potentially lucrative fir them to invest their zillions of dollars of advertising and marketing money into. You and I will likely never be directly affected by our locations being disclosed, save for more accurate search suggestions from our google search widgets.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
I'll ask again to try and keep this thread on topic. Anyone who wants to discuss why the companies do it is free to start another thread and discuss that there.
How can we stop this? Do we know if cooked ROMs also do it?
Droidwall...
I was so mad when I heard what they were doing, I wanted to throw my phone out the window. How is it even legal for them to do this, regardless of where its anonymous or not its still bs and I want that crap off my phone. I am a newb to the whole android and software thing and I wish I could help.
There out to find your house and steal your prized poodle. Honestly if its for marketing then it what it is. Honestly if you want to get mad at something, get mad at T-Mobile for throttling 4G speeds. I see what your saying but I would like them putting the right ads for my area and know quickest way to the quickie-e-mart.
Also we are using their OS.
Every other OS is monitored also.
Sent from my UD Glacier
What's with the useless comments defending these companies?
Can anyone answer the question - DO cooked ROMs also track your location?
According to this article, Android tracks the last 50 mobile masts and last 200 WiFi networks.
This is a problem, anyone have the solution?
I found this comment on one of the articles, does this explain it?
All mobile phones keep a record of the locations and unique IDs of the most recent mobile masts that it has communicated with. It's called the neighbour cell list and normally it enables the phone to connect to the network more quickly than it otherwise would. GSM mobile phones have done this since about 1992.
To see the benefits storing the neighbour cell list compare the time it takes a mobile to find a network after it is switched on in a new location, e.g., after a long flight, with the time it takes to find a network when the phone is switched on in the location where it was switched off.
The difference in the iPhone case is that the iPhone is keeping this information for such a long period of time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wrapper said:
I found this comment on one of the articles, does this explain it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is about the iPhone storing, not about a device sending GPS location data day and night.
So far, the only mentioned potential solution is Droidwall.
I'm going to play around with that.
There's a related app named HiSurfing, but one reviewer says that does not work as well as DroidWall. Seems DroidWall does a better job of keeping things from slipping out when they've been blocked.
Darnell_Chat_TN said:
So far, the only mentioned potential solution is Droidwall.
I'm going to play around with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only viable option I can see to block is "10052: Network Location, Google Calendar Sync, Google Services Framework, Google Contacts Sync."
Problem is, I use some of these.
I have ultimate juice defender it has a section in it where you can control how and when apps connect to the network, but I don't know if it will stop the Droid from phoning home.
wrapper said:
The only viable option I can see to block is "10052: Network Location, Google Calendar Sync, Google Services Framework, Google Contacts Sync."
Problem is, I use some of these.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, it uses a different listing number on my device, but "Network Location, Google Calendar Sync, Google Services Framework, Google Contacts Sync" may be the one to disable to stop the device from phoning home. I sync my data locally (via MyPhoneExplorer), so I can't think of any personal need for those, I've disabled that from all network and WiFi connectivity.
I've done some testing (blocking an app I could test with) and the firewall continues to work even after exiting DroidWall and even after killing DroidWall with a task killer. That's good to see so it won't be any burden on the battery.
I'm not any expert that can test for "certain" whether my device has really stopped phoning Google with my location data, but this seems to be the best shot for now.
Darnell_Chat_TN said:
I've done some testing (blocking an app I could test with) and the firewall continues to work even after exiting DroidWall and even after killing DroidWall with a task killer. That's good to see so it won't be any burden on the battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's because DroidWall is just an interface for iptables, the built-in firewall. So your battery life will not change at all, that's correct.
I'm not any expert that can test for "certain" whether my device has really stopped phoning Google with my location data, but this seems to be the best shot for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could connect to your wireless network, run a sniffer like Wireshark on your PC and check whether any packets are transmitted to Google servers.
frosty_ice said:
You could connect to your wireless network, run a sniffer like Wireshark on your PC and check whether any packets are transmitted to Google servers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or turn on my router's logging and check there, yea either of those would work.
Not sure if/when I'll get around to it .
droidhell said:
I have ultimate juice defender it has a section in it where you can control how and when apps connect to the network, but I don't know if it will stop the Droid from phoning home.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that seems like the best app if it works, any way to verify?
slapshot136 said:
that seems like the best app if it works, any way to verify?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm new to Droid, I really don't know how to test and see, it does stop other app really well, as far as a OS I don't know.
From what i here it's all stored in a location history file.
One simple solution might be to routinely delete this file.
Doesn't exactly solve the problem.
Might we consider expanding the subject to protecting our privacy? If not, I apologize in advance, as I think it is all connected.
It is probably Darnell's call, as he started the thread.
In the meantime, please consider this article: http://bit.ly/gCynrh
So let me understand this. I buy access to a network for my phone, which I also paid for. My location information, which is the result of my purchases is being used to generate income. So I'm allowing my spent cash to generate data and be leveraged to generate income. My information wouldn't exist with out my investment in the technology, so I own it.
I'm paying to be stalked !!!
Reduce my bill, provide remuneration for my investment in this technology, prove that it's anonymous, remember since I paid for the means to generate the data- the data belongs to me.
BTW for $1.50 I'll wire the battery to switch off, try getting data then.
I'd rather have an app which monitors my relevant info and bills the users for access to it.
I have an Update for Smart device manager in the android market... But i am unaware of what it does or what it is for... can some explain this to me.
Yea I noticed that update too. I'd like to know if I should update it as well.
You guys might want to look at this link: https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Location+Labs
That is just a list of there applications... that does not tell me what it is ... thank you though...
http://www.locationlabs.com/
You're being tracked.
editater>
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it could be 'carrier id' or simply the app that allows you to do 'parental controls'.. Sprint allows you to track your children's phones etc...
just sayin'
I've noticed that after I updated this app, I've been randomly receiving text messages filled with random text. I'm tempted to uninstall it but I don't know if there will be repercussions.
gollyzila said:
I've noticed that after I updated this app, I've been randomly receiving text messages filled with random text. I'm tempted to uninstall it but I don't know if there will be repercussions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
back up the .apk if you can, remove it and if it craps out your phone, re-install..
or make a nandroid backup (if you're rooted) then delete it.. if it craps out, restore..
I got tired of seeing it on app brain so I updated it. Haven't had any issues. I don't even think the app is running.
daddymikey1975 said:
back up the .apk if you can, remove it and if it craps out your phone, re-install..
or make a nandroid backup (if you're rooted) then delete it.. if it craps out, restore..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got this phone and am new to Android so I don't want to mess with it too much too soon. My temporary solution was to blacklist the sender using Go SMS Pro.
I plan to use Optimus V on a Canadian carrier TELUS as per tutorials:
[HOWTO] Edit PPP and M.IP to enable Data on Different Carriers
Dump Your Phone Memory. Moreover, I plan to use a regular Telus Evdo dumb-phone (not an Android) as a donor. I have no idea whether or not I will be able to assess Android Market right on the phone after such cloning. So, in case I will NOT, how can I get and install certain free Android apps? Specifically, I am thinking of VOIP apps NIMBUZZ and SKYPE.
For exmaple, If I try to download Nimbuzz from it's official website to my desktop, I get a message:
NIMBUZZ said:
Unfortunately the files for Android can only be downloaded directly to your mobile. Go to http://get.nimbuzz.com with your mobile phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am a complete N00b with Android and have a very limited experience with Linux, will appreciate any advice.
Finally, as a very last resort, I would first activate Optimus on it's native Virgin Mobile and install Android apps from Android Market. But it is not a good solution.
It's its called data gospel
I put this it in Android system hacking feel free to move it around any other place. But this service showed up as a system service
data_gospel
then I've dug a few more details about it
And the name showed up very suspicious.
Does anyone have a clue what what this thing does.
needless to say for the time being I am disabling this
See the attached screenshot
Sent from my JY-S3 using XDA Free mobile app
data_gospel app removal
Hi, I found data_gospel showed up as a threat when I scanned the phone with ESET security. I used System App Remover from the Play store to delete the app and the phone works perfectly well without without it!
[/B]
sieger007 said:
It's its called data gospel
I put this it in Android system hacking feel free to move it around any other place. But this service showed up as a system service
data_gospel
then I've dug a few more details about it
And the name showed up very suspicious.
Does anyone have a clue what what this thing does.
needless to say for the time being I am disabling this
See the attached screenshot
Sent from my JY-S3 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These types of things are normal for China based devices. They have things built in that allow them to monitor what people do with their devices. Just something you will get used to if you buy devices from China.
it's a similar or sometime worse deal from US based cell phones. example there is a process called Google backup transport or something like that and another one that is so nice specific called g a proxy that stands for Google Analytics proxy and both these processes connect to Google servers to transmit your data everybody wants to be big brother watching over you
but the Chinese ones are very surreptitious and hard to detect if they come embedded along with the stock OS which does not report them as being Malware