Best "Lost Phone" App? - myTouch 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I'm looking for a replacement for Mobile Defense since they seem to have discontinued their product. What's the best FREE app that will locate your phone, blast the ringer, remote wipe, etc...?
Thanks!

....
Lookout is a good app, if u set it up properly u wont even know its there yet, it does its job pretty well, no probs since mt4g came out, its free, but they recently added "premium" services, witch are really just to lock ur phone throught the site, ,, U can backup, locate, an keep virus free, for free though, you just cant lock it from online,.. also i doubt its a battery drainer, i still havent noticed any xtra battery loss

Thanks for the info. I'm looking to be able to remote wipe and remote lock and track the phone as well for free. Mobile Defense does all this but I don't think they're developing anymore and I heard there were issues with it on Froyo...

Lookout Mobile Security

Yea but Lookout charges you for the features I want...

Legaleye3000 said:
Yea but Lookout charges you for the features I want...
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Click to collapse
sometimes everything is not free. And sometimes you get what you pay for.

True, but if Mobile Defense offers all of those for free, someone else must also. I remember seeing an app that had everything for free, I just don't remember what the other app was.....

I saw this Lost Phone app. Haven't used it but it is free:
http://www.appbrain.com/app/lost-phone/com.gadgetprojects.lostphone

Wavesecure is the best!!!!!!!
When u autolock it sounds an alarm.....and when a different sim is inserted it sends text messages to numbers that u list in ur buddy list....doesn't let the person do a master reset
*Sent from my Tmobile MT4G*

When it comes to goofy apps and misc apps; free is always nice. But when it comes to security, I never compromise. Free or not, you get what you pay for.
I use the Premium version of Lookout. I used the free version for a long time and the jump was worth it.
There will always be someone who wants everything for free. Well...some things AREN'T. Get over it. Deal with it. That's the way it is.
If you want something bad enough and no-one makes it, why don't you be the first then?! Go develop a free security app that does everything you want then give it away to the rest of us who aren't complaining...
JM2C

Prey
The app you're looking for is called Prey. The company's website is PreyProject.com. I tried posting links but I can't because I'm a new user.

Legaleye3000 said:
I'm looking for a replacement for Mobile Defense since they seem to have discontinued their product. What's the best FREE app that will locate your phone, blast the ringer, remote wipe, etc...?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to clarify, Mobile Defense has not discontinued anything as I am still happily using their product. They have simply closed their open beta period (and it has been closed for quite awhile, 6 month or so). If you got in before it closed and simply had to swap phones, they have links on their website to re-download the client as long as you have a login.
You can no longer find them via the Market due to having closed their open beta period.

Please post questions in Q&A section.

chimatt said:
The app you're looking for is called Prey. The company's website is PreyProject.com. I tried posting links but I can't because I'm a new user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are several threads in the MT4G area about 'lost phone' style apps. Even though you sometimes get what you pay for, I'd rather not pay the $20-$30 per year for the ability to lock and fine my phone (as both Wavesecure and Lookout would seem to require) unless there's really no other alternative.
After reading through the recommendations in all of these threads, Prey actually looks like it might be the best in terms of offering the most features in the free version. I'd be interested in hearing more of other people's thoughts and experiences in using these apps (with consideration of their respective prices).
For now, I'm going to download Prey and I'll report back later with my thoughts.

Trip report on Prey:
So I got Prey installed on both Mytouch 4G's on my account and tried it out. The free version of the app lets you specify your phone as 'lost' via a user-defined SMS, and this worked every time. Upon sending the SMS to put the phone in 'lost' mode, you can also have the app perform several actions on the phone, including sounding an alarm, displaying a user-defined alert message, and locking the phone (with the stock android locking mechanism, but a Prey specific unlock password). These actions can be modified from he Prey website control panel (even after phone is in lost mode), and are performed a frequency of between 10 and 40 minutes while the phone remains lost. You also receive an e-mail alert when your phone is put into 'lost' mode. Prey also has the option to put itself into lost mode if the sim card is replaced.
Regarding everything above, Prey seems to work great. A couple things to be aware of though: when the alarm sounds on your phone, it starts at the loudest volume but can be reduced in volume to zero with the rocker on the side of your phone even when locked. If it sounds again after the specified interval, it starts out at the loudest volume, but again can be reduced. Also, if you opt to lock your phone, then the user-defined alert message won't be displayed until the correct unlock password is entered on the device. Thus, you can't both lock your phone and display a message to the person who has it. The developers indicated that a future version of Prey may allow for an alert message to be displayed first, with a keypress then sending the phone to the lock screen. This would be a significant improvement imo, since it would be nice to display contact information for someone who may have innocently found your phone while at the same time protecting your privacy by having the phone locked down.
[[[EDIT: This paragraph no longer applies. As reported in my post (below), the developers have now fixed this problem, but I'm leaving this paragraph here as part of my original review. "Prey currently fails on the MT4G when it comes to generating reports in order to track the activities and location of your lost phone. The reports are supposed to be generated at the same frequency as the actions above (10 to 40 minute intervals) when in 'lost' mode, with the free version allowing you to have up to 10 reports on file before the newest report will replace the oldest one. However, after trying every possible setting I could think of on both the Prey side and phone side, I could never get these reports to generate on a consistent basis (success on <10% of attempts). I contacted the developers about this and other questions/concerns, and they were friendly and helpful with trying to resolve the issue. Apparently they haven't had any problems like this on their test device, but again, the reports are not reliable for the MT4G."]]]
In summary, Prey works great for being able to lock down your phone via SMS if it's lost or stolen, with an optional alert message and alarm sound. It currently does not [EDIT: DOES...the problem was fixed] work in terms of helping you find the location of your lost or stolen phone via gps/wifi, etc.
Note: Lookout does offer the ability to locate your device in the free version of that app, but does not allow wipe or lock without purchasing the premium app. Thus, perhaps using Lookout in conjunction with Prey allows the free version of each of these apps to compliment one another.
Edit: The developers of Prey continue to be very friendly and responsive. They contacted me to let me know that they are continuing to work on resolving the problem with generating reports. I'll report back when the issue is resolved.
Thanks to me if you found this review helpful : )

Update: The developers of Prey did some debugging and were able to find the problem that was keeping the location reports from being consistently generated. I tested out a fixed version on both of my Mytouch 4Gs and it now seems to be working perfectly.

Related

Flexilis Mobile Security Beta

Hey Everyone,
Wanted to tell all of you about a neat app we're developing, called Flexilis.
It's a mobile security suite for Windows Mobile devices, that keeps your device and data safe from loss, theft, hackers, viruses, malware, spam, and more.
We've currently opened signups for our private beta testing, if you're interested in checking it out, just hit up http://beta.flexilis.com and sign up, and feel free to chat about the product here
If anyone has questions or runs into trouble, just shoot us an email at [email protected] and we'll help you out!
-Chris
Community Director,
Flexilis Inc.
[email protected]
Also, if any of you request an invite and it hasnt gotten granted within a day or so, let me know and I'll take care of it.
If you weren't asking for so much personal information, you might actually get people to try your app...
we're actually working on revising that, the reason we ask for the phone number is because it's used to sms you your download link for the software later on in the process, we're in the process of moving that to later on in the process, as well as an explanation of why we ask for it.
Thanks for the feedback!
-Chris
NRGZ28 said:
If you weren't asking for so much personal information, you might actually get people to try your app...
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Click to collapse
Hey man,
nice thing with this soft, that we give the phone number is not so a big problem i think. could you post a little bit infos about the program? Cause on your side there a not many informations.
But i ithink i'll give it a try...
I just have one little question, on you privacy page you write:
When you use the Flexilis Services, our servers automatically record certain information about your usage. These logs may include information such as the IP address, mobile device identification number, phone number, operating system, version information, wireless carrier, web requests, browser type, browser language, referring pages, landing pages, pages viewed, or other usage information.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why do record the pages we visit?
we're still working on a little bit of a tour/walkthrough area of the software on the front page, as we get closer to public beta, but for now there's nothing there yet. My first post in this thread gives a brief summary of it though. Feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected] with any questions!
-Chris
There's nothing in the software that tracks the pages you view or anything, what that refers to is on our end we track what pages users use on the flexilis website the most, much the same way other websites do, to track what pages and content on our site our most popular, etc.
JeckyllHavok said:
I just have one little question, on you privacy page you write:
Why do record the pages we visit?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm still not sure what your program do, but it certainly doesn't behave the way I expect.
1) Why to require authorization so often?
2) Contrary to the stated phone number is not accepted for authorization. Only email.
3) I don't really know what you mean by "a few minutes", but currently Flexilis is authorizing my phone already for more than two hours. I see no progress bar and I don't understan what's going.
4) I can't stop authorization process.
5) Why the authorization process continues even when I close all connections? Did you invent new method of communication?
6) The program is hidden from task managers and process viewers. What for?
I didn't sniff the traffic but currently behavior of your program reminds more of malware rather than security software.
My conclusion: As I don't understand what your program is doing, I'm not going to test it anymore until additional guidance is provided.
Sorry, if I'm sounding harsh. It's just writing style (tough work, you know )
No worries
1] once it's authorized the first time, it shouldnt have to authorize again, what kind of phone are you authorizing it on? we're making some fixes to the authorization process to make it even simpler that should roll out in the next release.
2] if you're outside of the US, you might need to add your country code and such if that's the case, let me know, or send me an email to [email protected] so we can look into it.
3] per all authorization questions, it'll try til its authorized, again we're fixing this.
4] per the it being hidden from task managers, we've given this some discussion, for right now it's a security feature to try to prevent theives from disabling the software, though we might fix that in the future to have the app visible in there somehow.
As far as being more indepth on all of the features, we are working on a tour of sorts to explain it all before the beta goes public.
Thanks for the feedback!
-Chris
mrcaze said:
I'm still not sure what your program do, but it certainly doesn't behave the way I expect.
1) Why to require authorization so often?
2) Contrary to the stated phone number is not accepted for authorization. Only email.
3) I don't really know what you mean by "a few minutes", but currently Flexilis is authorizing my phone already for more than two hours. I see no progress bar and I don't understan what's going.
4) I can't stop authorization process.
5) Why the authorization process continues even when I close all connections? Did you invent new method of communication?
6) The program is hidden from task managers and process viewers. What for?
I didn't sniff the traffic but currently behavior of your program reminds more of malware rather than security software.
My conclusion: As I don't understand what your program is doing, I'm not going to test it anymore until additional guidance is provided.
Sorry, if I'm sounding harsh. It's just writing style (tough work, you know )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Authorizing a device ... what a hassle. I finally gave up since I couldn't tell if it was doing anything. No more testing for or feedback from me.
fredcatsmommy: sorry it didnt work out for you. hopefully in the future when that's fixed (should be less than a week), we can lure you back, it does some amazing stuff, but we do run into bugs from time to time due to the vast number of windows mobile devices out there, and only having a small test bed of them to work with. Keep your eyes peeled, and we'll have that fixed soon!
fredcatsmommy said:
Authorizing a device ... what a hassle. I finally gave up since I couldn't tell if it was doing anything. No more testing for or feedback from me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you need to tell us what the app actually does?
I have read this and your site and still don't know what it does?
Will hold off on trying it till I know.
How long is the initializing and activating supposed to take?
seriously, the authorizing bugs should have been worked out before releasing a beta here. we cant even tell if its running, authorizing, stealing information from our devices, etc.. I surely hope this is a legit app youre pushing, if so, FIX IT, so we can at least see what it does.
thx
I installed and authorized with no issues what-so-ever... contrary to what everyone else is saying everything seems to work just fine. works great and doesn't seem to take much memory... not a single complaint here!
Advertising your application for beta purposes is usually not a problem. But, it seems you are here more for "recruiting" testers than anything else. Looks like you joined for this purpose only.
My suggestion to you, is to give a little more description on your develpoment. Seems there are too many questions going unanswered here.
jhw549 said:
I installed and authorized with no issues what-so-ever... contrary to what everyone else is saying everything seems to work just fine. works great and doesn't seem to take much memory... not a single complaint here!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what device do you have? did you do anything special to get it working?
I have a sprint vogue and installed to main mem and the data conn. is constantly active.
Polargoat said:
what device do you have? did you do anything special to get it working?
I have a sprint vogue and installed to main mem and the data conn. is constantly active.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an HTC Mobul/Titan using default Rom/Radio with WinMo 6.1
To install it I just did what I would any other and installed it onto internal memory...
Correction: The application works just fine if you don't have push e-mail (aren't connected to a remote exchange server), I have been having problems all day with my push e-mail from mail2web which I use to forward my work e-mail to my phone. I have therefore decided to remove it as I can't afford to have it interfere with work.

WaveSecure Serious Vulnerability!!

I'm using Modaco latest r8 rom with froyo 2.2. I noticed 2 things:
1. wave secure will not download my account data automatically when I factory reset. I need to register again which make it vulnerable. >> Anyone can disable wave secure
2. I don't even need to factory reset and I can reset wave secure by clearing the data in settings!!!!
I have tried in original HTC ROM 2.09(rooted) and flash in /system/app. same situation.
And I've tried that if wavesecure hasn't been register, you can't lock it from wavesecure.com or sms
I don't know if this is due to the nature of froyo or it's been like this since 2.1
wave secure is practically useless right now on my phone!!
Anyone can confirm this?
called them and they said they disabled the function for temp as they are working on some fix, it will be up again in 3 weeks as what they said
Yep, saw this on MoDaCo. Will not be renewing my WaveSecure subscription.
Lets be honest, it was a waste of money to begin with right.
This whole thing makes me wonder...can an Android phone REALLY be protected by these kind of softwares? Even assuming there are no security issues with the app..I mean,a lot of Android phones are rooted by their owners and all are rootable (?) without booting into the OS, so even if said apps are installed as system apps (just like wavesecure can be) what's preventing a "smart/geek" thief from pulling the battery, changing the simcard,(rooting a non-rooted phone), booting into recovery, mounting system and wreaking havoc through adb, including removing the security app?? Am i going on a wild goose chase or is all this sound??
MacCarron said:
This whole thing makes me wonder...can an Android phone REALLY be protected by these kind of softwares? Even assuming there are no security issues with the app..I mean,a lot of Android phones are rooted by their owners and all are rootable (?) without booting into the OS, so even if said apps are installed as system apps (just like wavesecure can be) what's preventing a "smart/geek" thief from pulling the battery, changing the simcard,(rooting a non-rooted phone), booting into recovery, mounting system and wreaking havoc through adb, including removing the security app?? Am i going on a wild goose chase or is all this sound??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, but I don't think the average mugger/thief is that smart
Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
So can I cancel my current subscription then and get a refund?
If you install wavesecure to /system/app and make sure its only there and not in /data/app as well then you should not have this problem.
Also wavesecure have gone through a rough month, got brought by Mcafee who in turn just got brought by Intel. They need to adjust to the new owners. They are (were) only a small company and lets face it their app is the best around by a long long way.
If you have any problems or suggestions on how to improve they usually listen (it was one of TeamVillain and a xda mod who suggested they make a update.zip for /system/app and a number of other improvements and they did it straight away).
Don't just say "oh no its not working" no app can protect your phone from the right people, if someone who knows all about rooting etc gets your phone then your screwed anwyay. But the average joe thug who steals your phone will get it, put in a new sim the alarm will go crazy then they panic, drop the phone and run. You can then use the tracker to find it, or give details to police.
Just put the apk in your rom next time before you flash in system/app and flash the rom. Restore data from a backup (but not the app) and you still get your market link too.
Lennyuk said:
If you install wavesecure to /system/app and make sure its only there and not in /data/app as well then you should not have this problem.
Also wavesecure have gone through a rough month, got brought by Mcafee who in turn just got brought by Intel. They need to adjust to the new owners. They are (were) only a small company and lets face it their app is the best around by a long long way.
If you have any problems or suggestions on how to improve they usually listen (it was one of TeamVillain and a xda mod who suggested they make a update.zip for /system/app and a number of other improvements and they did it straight away).
Don't just say "oh no its not working" no app can protect your phone from the right people, if someone who knows all about rooting etc gets your phone then your screwed anwyay. But the average joe thug who steals your phone will get it, put in a new sim the alarm will go crazy then they panic, drop the phone and run. You can then use the tracker to find it, or give details to police.
Just put the apk in your rom next time before you flash in system/app and flash the rom. Restore data from a backup (but not the app) and you still get your market link too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While i agree with you that a witch hunt isn't the proper response and that it is unlikely that the average thief will know his way around adb, i have personally tried to remove wavesecure from /system/app...it works...i did it without breaking a sweat. I intentionally triggered the lock by attempting to uninstall the uninstall-protection, pulled off the battery, booted in recovery and got rid of wavese cure with a single command. Reboot and presto! A free phone . So it is true that there is no full-proof way to be safeguarded, at least using this software, and in my humble opinion the guys over at wavesecure should clearly state so on their website. And they don't always listen..there is a long story of noisy silences concerning op's issue...omissions, censorship etc etc. I got a free lifetime subscription so i'm not particularly yelling at anyone, just making hypothetis, but wouldn't you be quite pissed off if someone stole your phone and rendered it's security software (for which you payed) impotent just because he knew "SU"?
MacCarron said:
While i agree with you that a witch hunt isn't the proper response and that it is unlikely that the average thief will know his way around adb, i have personally tried to remove wavesecure from /system/app...it works...i did it without breaking a sweat. I intentionally triggered the lock by attempting to uninstall the uninstall-protection, pulled off the battery, booted in recovery and got rid of wavese cure with a single command. Reboot and presto! A free phone . So it is true that there is no full-proof way to be safeguarded, at least using this software, and in my humble opinion the guys over at wavesecure should clearly state so on their website. And they don't always listen..there is a long story of noisy silences concerning op's issue...omissions, censorship etc etc. I got a free lifetime subscription so i'm not particularly yelling at anyone, just making hypothetis, but wouldn't you be quite pissed off if someone stole your phone and rendered it's security software (for which you payed) impotent just because he knew "SU"?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The thing is though, if they knew SU and other commands chances are they will get around any protection whatever it would be.
But Wavesecure offers you a way to track the phone, you can still contact your carrier and get them to IMEI blacklist it, then track the handset down via wavesecure.
hi - just check out secrep5265.blogspot.com - thats interesting information concerning your discussion.

Exchange Server - Security policy

I'm finding a lot of threads about changing from pin/password to pattern unlock, but not having any luck in completely disabling the security feature BS...
Is it possible to completely eliminate the password lock required by my exchange server? I have tried lockpicker and no lock, neither of which worked.
I would like to keep syncing but am not going to deal with this unlocking all the time (they JUST started enforcing it)...any help would be appreciated.
BTW, running Calkulin's EViO 2 v 1.7 (sense, so HTC mail)
Nope, this is tightly integrated down to the OS in order to pass MS requirements, and it reports the control level back to exchange so it can make sure it's in compliance with their mobile device policy.
In theory you can make an app that proxies the API and lies about what the phone can do ... but it wont be done with a simple APK/market app ... it's integration goes much deeper.
Honestly your best best: this is clearly a new policy. complain repeatedly to your IT staff. You're probably not the only one upset ... and noise will result in policy change ... because reality: IT staff hate dealing with people. They want to deal with servers.
Option 2: if you have a buddy on the exchange team he can put you on the same policy he undoubtedly created for himself and his team, that's 10x as lenient so he can mess with his little pet projects he plays with on the side.
Justin.G11 said:
Nope, this is tightly integrated down to the OS in order to pass MS requirements, and it reports the control level back to exchange so it can make sure it's in compliance with their mobile device policy.
In theory you can make an app that proxies the API and lies about what the phone can do ... but it wont be done with a simple APK/market app ... it's integration goes much deeper.
Honestly your best best: this is clearly a new policy. complain repeatedly to your IT staff. You're probably not the only one upset ... and noise will result in policy change ... because reality: IT staff hate dealing with people. They want to deal with servers.
Option 2: if you have a buddy on the exchange team he can put you on the same policy he undoubtedly created for himself and his team, that's 10x as lenient so he can mess with his little pet projects he plays with on the side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks...I figured it wouldn't be that easy but I had to ask.
Justin.G11 said:
Honestly your best best: this is clearly a new policy. complain repeatedly to your IT staff. You're probably not the only one upset ... and noise will result in policy change ... because reality: IT staff hate dealing with people. They want to deal with servers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get complaints all the time about policies. 99.999% of the time, the policies are created/approved by steering committees, the legal department or executive management. There is usually nothing IT can do about it as the policies are put into place for legal reasons or company security.
Additionally, if IT departments are not compliant in company policies there could be legal ramifications if the company has to comply with certain government guidelines.
And IT staff don't hate dealing with people...it sounds like your work environment is not like others.
Check out this thread to see if it does what you are looking for.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=775007
They modified the actual email.apk app to remove the security requirement that was hardcoded in it.
It was taken from CM7 which is AOSP, so I cannot say whether or not it will work on sense.
EDIT: After searching some more, droidforums has a modified email.apk file that you can install, that you use instead of the HTC mail, which tricks your exchange server into thinking that you have your security enabeled.
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/dr...onal-froyo-bypass-exchange-server-policy.html
Just download the zip, and extract the apk from it, then place the apk on your SDCard and install it just like a regular app.
Khilbron said:
Check out this thread to see if it does what you are looking for.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=775007
They modified the actual email.apk app to remove the security requirement that was hardcoded in it.
It was taken from CM7 which is AOSP, so I cannot say whether or not it will work on sense.
EDIT: After searching some more, droidforums has a modified email.apk file that you can install, that you use instead of the HTC mail, which tricks your exchange server into thinking that you have your security enabeled.
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/dr...onal-froyo-bypass-exchange-server-policy.html
Just download the zip, and extract the apk from it, then place the apk on your SDCard and install it just like a regular app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will look into that. Thank you very much!
I ended up using the modified email.apk from CM7...works like a charm!!! The Droid forums version kept coming up with security errors. THANKS AGAIN Khilbron!!!
awenthol said:
I ended up using the modified email.apk from CM7...works like a charm!!! The Droid forums version kept coming up with security errors. THANKS AGAIN Khilbron!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you please post a link to the one you used?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Justin.G11 said:
Nope, this is tightly integrated down to the OS in order to pass MS requirements, and it reports the control level back to exchange so it can make sure it's in compliance with their mobile device policy.
In theory you can make an app that proxies the API and lies about what the phone can do ... but it wont be done with a simple APK/market app ... it's integration goes much deeper.
Honestly your best best: this is clearly a new policy. complain repeatedly to your IT staff. You're probably not the only one upset ... and noise will result in policy change ... because reality: IT staff hate dealing with people. They want to deal with servers.
Option 2: if you have a buddy on the exchange team he can put you on the same policy he undoubtedly created for himself and his team, that's 10x as lenient so he can mess with his little pet projects he plays with on the side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes..this reply really isn't correct. There have been some sqlite modifications that can be made or using the mail.apk from this link (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=775007) works perfect, even with the new CM7-RC2
Bypassing Exchange security
I had this same issue with my work email. My way of bypassing it and still using the stock Mail app is by installing widgetlocker. Unfortunately the newest version does not bypass your encryption, but the older version before the most recent update does. Also it allows you to fully customize your lockscreen and add widgets and what have you. All in all pretty cool app.
widgetlocker.teslacoilsw.com/general/widgetlocker-1-2-9/
(unfortunately because i have never posted before i cannot post links so pm if the link does not work)
Amazing! So you guys have a device in your pocket that has complete access to your work mail server (something you don't own), and you apparently don't care if that falls into the wrong hands?
I don't want to get preachy but this is serious stuff:
1. Are you aware of the damage that can fall on an organization, its IP and reputation if a hacker/spammer has access to a mail account?
2. Your company's mail server is an assett of the company. Gaining access and leaving it unlocked is like borrowing something from work and leaving it on the street.
I understand that IT policies are annoying to the end user, but they are there for good reason.
Would you leave the company vehicle unlocked because it is annoying to get the key out? No.
Oh, and by the way, you can be held directly liable for damages for disabling/ hacking around policies. I have seen employees get fired for it.
Sent from my device.
ramiss said:
Amazing! So you guys have a device in your pocket that has complete access to your work mail server (something you don't own), and you apparently don't care if that falls into the wrong hands?
I don't want to get preachy but this is serious stuff:
1. Are you aware of the damage that can fall on an organization, its IP and reputation if a hacker/spammer has access to a mail account?
2. Your company's mail server is an assett of the company. Gaining access and leaving it unlocked is like borrowing something from work and leaving it on the street.
I understand that IT policies are annoying to the end user, but they are there for good reason.
Would you leave the company vehicle unlocked because it is annoying to get the key out? No.
Oh, and by the way, you can be held directly liable for damages for disabling/ hacking around policies. I have seen employees get fired for it.
Sent from my device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The issue I have is with the idea that the company gets to dictate how my entire device functions. Your points are valid, but why not just require a password on the email app, not on the whole phone? Why do I have to consent to allowing them to order a full device wipe, instead of just a wipe of the company data?
bkrodgers said:
The issue I have is with the idea that the company gets to dictate how my entire device functions. Your points are valid, but why not just require a password on the email app, not on the whole phone? Why do I have to consent to allowing them to order a full device wipe, instead of just a wipe of the company data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those are some good points and questions:
If you just locked the mail app then the app would need to encrypt/decrypt all data, which would make it MUCH slower. However, the main reason is that the app lock approach is much more hackable..one simple example would be to load a proxy on the phone to intercept communication before it could be encrypted.
The idea behind the device lock is that it happens on a deeper level and is the most secure answer.
The question about having a choice with your device is actually a simple one to answer...if you don't agree with the work policy then don't use your personal device for work email.
The other thing is that, besides not having a choice, the forced answer is beneficial for everyone....if I lose my device then I definitely don't want strangers crank calling my family or getting personal info. I have read about some horrible stories.
The real question is...If your phone is lost why would you NOT want it to be secure and erased asap??
Sent from my "locked" device.
ramiss said:
Those are some good points and questions:
If you just locked the mail app then the app would need to encrypt/decrypt all data, which would make it MUCH slower. However, the main reason is that the app lock approach is much more hackable..one simple example would be to load a proxy on the phone to intercept communication before it could be encrypted.
The idea behind the device lock is that it happens on a deeper level and is the most secure answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes and no. There are approaches that are easier if you aren't securing the whole device, but that doesn't mean it can't still be hacked.
The question about having a choice with your device is actually a simple one to answer...if you don't agree with the work policy then don't use your personal device for work email.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Overall I agree with that, although I think at a company that offers mobile email, there's a sort of "peer pressure" to use it. Not to say that's a good reason. I'd imagine that it'd be hard for a company to actually require you to use mobile email on your personal device -- if your job truly requires it, I'd think they'd have to provide you a device if you don't have a compatible device or aren't willing to use it that way. So yes, you're probably right that you have the choice. It doesn't mean that we can't complain though.
The other thing is that, besides not having a choice, the forced answer is beneficial for everyone....if I lose my device then I definitely don't want strangers crank calling my family or getting personal info. I have read about some horrible stories.
The real question is...If your phone is lost why would you NOT want it to be secure and erased asap??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it's really lost forever, yes. But what if:
- The exchange admin sends the wipe command to the wrong phone. ("Hi, I'm John Smith and I've lost my phone.")
- The "wipe after X invalid passcode" policy is enabled. A friend or a kid picks up the phone and tries to play with it. Whoops.
- Something else goes wrong...bottom line is that the company should have no right to wipe anything other than their own data.
I understand the need for locking the device...I really do. But, if someone does happen to find my phone (knock on wood but HIGHLY, HIGHLY unlikely, as I've never even almost forgotten any phone, anywhere, ever) they aren't going to find ANYTHING of value in my emails. I'm pretty low on the totem pole.
If I had sensitive data on my phone...no questions asked, I would keep it p-word locked.
matt2053 said:
Can you please post a link to the one you used?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=775007
awenthol said:
I understand the need for locking the device...I really do. But, if someone does happen to find my phone (knock on wood but HIGHLY, HIGHLY unlikely, as I've never even almost forgotten any phone, anywhere, ever) they aren't going to find ANYTHING of value in my emails. I'm pretty low on the totem pole.
If I had sensitive data on my phone...no questions asked, I would keep it p-word locked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your Exchange Admin (or you depending on the version of Exchange you're using) has the ability to remotely wipe your device in the event it gets stolen/lost.
Could anyone give a brief possible explanation of why I can connect to my exchange server easily using Touchdown, but not using the Android integrated Exchange Account Sync?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Just found this thread as I've encountered the same issue on a HTC Sensation, just setup Exchange ActiveSync, and bam, have to set up the PIN lock on the phone.
However I've noticed that once you've done it, you can then go into Settings, Security and change the timeout before it locks up to 1 hour (I think that is dependent on your company setting). Mine was defaulting to every time the screen locked, but changing it to 1 hour I find I hardly ever have to unlock the phone now apart from first thing in the morning as I tend to use it regularly through the day.

[BOUNTY] Ultimate thief catcher $50

Forgive me if this is in the wrong place.
As stated in the title, I'm willing to offer a $50 bounty to anyone who can create this app for me, the perfect thief catcher app. Here's how it works:
The app runs in the background constantly (possibly as a service to avoid task killers), so it must be as minimal as possible. Upon receipt of a specifically worded text message, the app will trigger the GPS and wait 5-10 minutes for full lock. After this time has passed, the app will text the GPS coordinates to a preconfigured email address and then disable the GPS.
Optional function: Activate the front facing cam (silently and invisibly if possible), take a picture, and attach to said text message to be sent to preconfigured email address.
The main focus of this app is to accurately capture the location of the device while being light on battery, so that optimal capture can take place in the event the device is stolen.
If something like this already exists, please let me know so that I can donate to that developer.
Specifics: I have an Evo with CM7, if it matters in coding the app at all.
Lookout has lost phone features similar to what you are asking for. I have Lookout on my phone, uses almost no battery.
They also have an app called Plan B that you can install after the phone is lost to get a GPS location on it.
Both are free.
I don't expect the bounty, but feel free to buy me a sandwich for helping.
Lookout causes too many problems from what I've seen. I'll check out the Plan B app.
Bounty is still up.
I'm not the "fastest" coder in the world, but I would hazard a guess of minimum 20 hours for development, testing, etc.
Great app idea but I'm not writing code for $2.50 an hour ...just sayn'
And Android OS prevents someone from NOT being able to stop a Service.
Try apps "Where's My Droid" or GPS Tracker. Both have remote activation capabilities.
________________________________
http://ron-droid.blogspot.com
rigman said:
Try apps "Where's My Droid" or GPS Tracker. Both have remote activation capabilities.
________________________________
http://ron-droid.blogspot.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you read the entire OP? I realize WMD has a few of the features that I listed, but I want ALL of the features working like I stated.
I'm no coder, but I could quite easily make a Tasker profile to do this.
Sunsparc said:
Did you read the entire OP? I realize WMD has a few of the features that I listed, but I want ALL of the features working like I stated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I read the entire op and wasn't very impressed. Texting coordinates wouldn't be very reliable way to catch someone. There's a very good chance the person could be driving at the moment you send your activation text.
Same for turning on the camera. Highly unlikely they'd have the camera pointed at their face or anything recognizable. Or even if they did, probably couldn't make out much without the flash.
Just my opinion. But I'd much rather have an app that gave me continuous GPS coordinates as does the apps I suggested.
________________________________
http://ron-droid.blogspot.com
Look up Prey. it runs as a background service and has a lot of cool stuff. Google it, they have a whole web interface and everything, you can use the same service on your laptop under the same account. I think it would suit your needs.
Sent from my MIUI SCH-i500
The best lost/stolen app imo is Theft Aware. From the app's website:
Theft Aware runs (and this is worldwide UNIQUE) completely invisible in the background. That's right! Theft Aware is COMPLETELY INVISIBLE. You'll be able to remotely control your phone by SMS at any time. Theft Aware will reply to your commands by SMS as well. The sent or received SMS leave no trace on the mobile phone, no signal will alert the thief - who will feel safe!
Sure, as soon as the thief changes the SIM card of the phone, the phone number of it will change. NO PROBLEM. Theft Aware will detect the change and will inform your buddy automatically about the new phone number by SMS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best thing to do with lost or stolen phone?
-Call provider and they'll kill the phone.
-Buy new phone
Edit: Mainly a reply to an edited out part of a post but still applicable so I'll leave what I wrote
At 9.99 EUR, Theft Aware is far from free but I understand your point. It's good to watch for security and privacy issues. I would only caution that one could easily miss out on good/helpful apps if generalizations are made based on one bad app(le) or the possibility of one. But really this is what Android is all about...individual choice. To each their own.
I've been using Prey for a while now and I'm very happy with it.
All the current apps are dependent on your sim card remaining in the phone so you can text it. So in the reality of your phone being stole they will be useless.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
nutsnut said:
All the current apps are dependent on your sim card remaining in the phone so you can text it. So in the reality of your phone being stole they will be useless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you must not have read my first post...
If a thief changes the SIM card, Theft Aware will proactively send you the location and the new phone number of the thief to predefined friends of yours. Once you got the new number, you will again be able to locate your phone at any time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So even if the SIM card is changed, the app will inform you the phone number associated with that new card by messaging both of the numbers you assigned when you set it up. Once you have that, you can message commands invisibly to that new number to control Theft Aware as well as now knowing the thief's phone number to hand over to police, your carrier, or to figure out the owner of that number on your own.
nutsnut said:
All the current apps are dependent on your sim card remaining in the phone so you can text it. So in the reality of your phone being stole they will be useless.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you mean if you have a gsm phone.. i have a CDMA, so I really don't need to worry about it. However, if i ever stole someones phone, the first thing I would do is take out the battery and let it sit on the shelf for a month or two until the previous owner has given up. And trust me, you will if it happens to you. It happened to me.
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA Premium App
Theft Aware
Theft Aware isn't sim card depending. If the sim gets changed a sms is sent to up to two notification numbers you define on installing theft aware.
it meets all requirements you specify (except that the location is sent via sms not email).
but that will soon be available via a webinterface where you can control your device.
I don't need the bounty either - try theft aware and buy a license. thats enough compensation as my company sells theft aware
Check out "watch droid"......
Every beginning thief knows that if you steal a smartphone you get out the body the battery and SIM card as first thing. Second thing is looking for hard reset instructions.
It should be something deeper than OS level.
Khisha said:
Every beginning thief knows that if you steal a smartphone you get out the body the battery and SIM card as first thing. Second thing is looking for hard reset instructions.
It should be something deeper than OS level.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's been said a couple times that Theft Aware can detect a SIM card change and inform you of the new number so you can continue to control it through text messages. It will also survive a factory reset if you have rooted your phone and installed it appropriately. It won't survive a full data wipe like you would do when flashing a new ROM through recovery, but nothing can...that's the point of a full wipe. If you are waiting for or expecting something to come out that will persist through a full wipe, then you will never be satisfied.

[BETA] - Caesura Remote Administration and Lost Device Finder

*****************************
Please note: this is the OLD VERSION THAT IS ATTACHED TO THIS POST. THE NEW VERSION IS AVAILABLE AT:
www.gundersoft.com/pages/downloads/caesura
******************************
***********************************************************
* Agreement:
***********************************************************
Firstly, I want to start out by saying that I have put a lot of hard work into making this app and I am trying to make it free so I would appreciate it if we can keep all criticism on this forum strictly constructive. At the moment, it is a BETA and probably has LOTS of bugs (but I am not aware of them). That is where YOU come in. Anybody who is interested may come download this app in BETA and give me feedback and test it and tell me what I can add/remove/fix. I will hopefully be releasing a final release version this month. Its all up to u how successful it is
I had a lot of free time this month so I have started building an app for android. What is Caesura exactly? Hard question to answer. Its a tool box for those who want to remotely control every aspect of their precious phone, even when out of 3G, or its a way for parents to protect unruly children from danger. So far it can be used for all of the following:
Remote Control Phone Via Text Message
Remotely Block Phone Numbers (for your kids phones)
Get Phone status (battery life, wifi, unread messages)
Remotely send text messages
Forward Texts
Find lost phones by turning volume ALL the way up and ringing, vibrating, and flashing the flash.
In the future I also plan to give it these features:
Ability to track lost phones via GPS and Cell towers
Remote Wipe data capability
Remote Lockout
Remote Password Change
Remote Play Sound (Fun for the occasional prank )
And for those with unruly children:
Sms Alerts anytime the phone leaves its current location
Sms Alerts anytime the owner of the phone exceeds a certain speed limit
What I really need are BETA testers. Anyone interested is welcome to download the APK which is attached to this post. Tell me what u think.
Instructions:
Download the APK from www.gundersoft.com/pages/downloads/caesura and install. Next, the first thing that you DEFINITELY want to do is open the APP and press the menu button, and select Settings. In the settings screen, Press the Set Password button and set a password. Also, insure that the "Require password" checkbox is checked.
Then, on the main screen, check the Enable Service checkbox.
Now, to remote control the phone, either install the APP on another phone and use the "Login to Another Phone" button on the main screen, or send the following Sms to the phone WITH CAESURA that you wish to control:
!login
The phone will then prompt you for a password. At this point, you may reply with a password. If you enter a correct password, you will be granted access.
At this point you can send any of the following commands and the phone will treat them as instruction for what to do:
Please note: any texts send while logged in will be sent as commands and will not reach the remote phone's inbox. Do not forget to run the exit command every time you finish.:
!login - first command to be sent. Logs you in.
password [new password] -sets the password for logging into Caesura.
exit - logs out of the service. ALWAYS do this. you cannot log in from another phone while that phone is still logged in.
toast [text to display] - shows a tiny toast window with some text in it for about 4 seconds
sendsms [number] [message] - remote control the phone to send text message to the specified number
torch - toggle system flashlight
panic - sets volume to high and flashes light and displays custom message on screen (BUGGY, causes app to crash if done repeatedly. Work in progress!)
help [command] - gives specific help for the specified command - (Not available for most commands yet)
status - tells the number of unread msgs, remaining battery life, and whether wifi is on or off
unlock - if the lockscreen of the phone is showing, hides it and unlocks the keys
block [number] - blocks the phone from getting texts from the specified number (WORKS!!)
unblock [number] - unblocks number
blocked - sends a list of numbers that you have blocked
forwardto [number] - sets the number to which all forwarded texts will be sent to
forward [number] - forward texts from a number
unforward [number] - stop forwarding texts from this number
forwarded - sends a list of numbers that you are forwarding
Console:
To remote control the device from within another copy of the APP itself, press the "Login to Another Phone" button on the main screen. This open a window that will ask you for a phone number. Type in the number and the phone will attempt to send a login text message to the phone in question. If successful, you will receive a message in return. To select a command, choose it from the drop down list. Click send. Wait a few, (it can be up to a few minutes if your carrier is slow but took only about 3-10 sec. on AT&T) and you will get a response.
ALWAYS SEND EXIT WHEN YOU ARE DONE OR YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEND TEXTS TO THAT PHONE THAT IS BEING CONTROLLED!!
License:
In the process of compiling a license...at the moment, just think to yourself, if it seems dishonest or sneaky, its probably going to be against the EULA
No reverse engineering
No reposting on other forums or threads. You are welcome to post a link here, but I wish to insure that all users get the NEWEST possible copy since Im constantly updating it
I release myself from all liability involving this software since it is provided as a free software and I do not offer any guarantees of any sort regarding its soundness, or even that it is fit for a particular purpose.
All abuses of this software are the sole responsibility of the End User.
And with no further ado... good luck and tell me what you think
*****************************
Please note: this is the OLD VERSION THAT IS ATTACHED TO THIS POST. THE NEW VERSION IS AVAILABLE AT:
www.gundersoft.com/pages/downloads/caesura
******************************
**Also, this list does NOT contain all of the commands added since the update.
Reserved
always good to save space for expansion
Looks interesting. I'll try it out.
Edit: Kind of forgot my service is turned off.
Sent from my LG Optimus V using Tapatalk
Sounds good so far, I'd suggest to produce a version that can be installed to system partition (for rooted devices) and stores its settings somewhere in a safe place (possibly system partition as well) so it gets factory reset proof. Also it should have a simchecker option so the owner of the device gets a notification if a new sim is inserted. This way it would always be possible to find and remote your device, even if a thief performs a fr and formats the sdcard.
Hope this is not too much to request, but i think this would make it the ultimate anti theft tool.
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tapatalked from vizio vtab1008
Will be trying this as soon as I have time(which might be long,but just sayin').Sounds reaaaaally good.
And because I see potential in this,lemme give you an idea.
There are far too many tools with which you can control (Parts of or the whole of) your PC from your phone,but for the opposite there is nearly nothing.The only app I found that allows for remote control of the phone from a PC is Webkey which,while good in its essence,isn't exactly useful.And it does everything over wi-fi only(Not bad for most but anyway).
So,an app that allows remote control of the phone from a PC in a proper manner is more than welcome and I'm willing to pay for it.
*I know Caesura allows for texting remotely etc,but I'm referring to real remote control,where you can use the phone as if you held it with your hand or something*
No matter if you do it or not in the end,I want to congratulate you for the effort.
tolis626 said:
Will be trying this as soon as I have time(which might be long,but just sayin').Sounds reaaaaally good.
And because I see potential in this,lemme give you an idea.
There are far too many tools with which you can control (Parts of or the whole of) your PC from your phone,but for the opposite there is nearly nothing.The only app I found that allows for remote control of the phone from a PC is Webkey which,while good in its essence,isn't exactly useful.And it does everything over wi-fi only(Not bad for most but anyway).
So,an app that allows remote control of the phone from a PC in a proper manner is more than welcome and I'm willing to pay for it.
*I know Caesura allows for texting remotely etc,but I'm referring to real remote control,where you can use the phone as if you held it with your hand or something*
No matter if you do it or not in the end,I want to congratulate you for the effort.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is Droid Explorer, it has a screencast option to do this, but you need to be connected to USB.
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tapatalked from vizio vtab1008
I came across this by using the search for a remote app on lost devices. Will get myself a copy of the apk, you still need testers? ^^
I think this was abandoned... j use 'android lost' instead, has the same functionality...
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tapatalked from GalaxyS
This has not been abandoned. You can download it from www.gundersoft.com/pages/downloads/caesura
I still need testers. It's not the same as the other app...it has quite a few more features.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
if i undersand it right caesuara will send you my numbers and give you the capability to connect to my phone is that right?
If yes why should i use it?
If i missunderstand i am sorry for asking stupid questions *grin
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA App
It sends phone number only (for usage tracking by area code...this is a beta thing only). Also, if you set a login password, no one but you can connect.
The only command that can be run without password is factory lockout. Let's say user abuses software and I am contacted by law enforcement: I can disable caesura remotely. That is all.
I've never released this app publicly and I was scared to death it would be misused and I'd be liable. See, all of my beta testers locally have been teens, and they have a way of using this stuff immaturely. This my way to cover my butt just in case
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
And no worries, if I really had any malicious intentions, I wouldn't have told you about the phone number thing would I?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

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