Database Users

Security Issues...?

Just read this piece of information...
http://www.thisandroidlife.com/2010...om-infected-iphones-and-android-handsets.html
I've always thought about this ever since a buddy of mine coded a little bot to do about the same thing to an online game.
Anyway,the real question I guess is, What can be done to prevent these types of thing from happening? What do you think?

Doesnt Android tell you everything a program is going to access before it's installed? I ALWAYS read that.

The only thing that this article is trying to point out is that non tech savvy users, which are probably a lot of Smartphone users won't really understand or care to know the "details" of the apps and what its all going to do, as such; they're more prone to installing these malicious apps. On top of that, they were showcasing that right now, they've only taken the GPS coordinates from the phone, but if they wanted to - passwords, messages, etc could be taken from the phone without anyone ever knowing.
I think this is good, it makes people more aware and allows us to be more cautious. Not mention, it's becoming obvious that Mobile data/traffic is easy to target and probably even easier to trick users (than on computers) because of lack of security and the notion that ones' phone cannot be "hacked" or what not.

hm
i had to go threw SlideMe.org to get a app because my bank blocked Android Market lol anyway. They sent out a server wide warning that app was bad last night.

BTW is there an app which logs where and what your phone sends? Like "littlesnitch"?
http://tinyurl.com/o9568k

There's not much that can be done about this, and it's a perfectly legitimate threat.
Yes, the app DOES tell you what it will be doing, but nearly any app that has Network access and Fine Location, especially if it does grab your GPS coordinates for something in the app itself, could send stuff behind the scenes and you'd be completely unaware.
I definitely don't think this will be the last time we'll hear about this sort of malicious app.

Negrito said:
Doesnt Android tell you everything a program is going to access before it's installed? I ALWAYS read that.
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Of course but you don't know EXACTLY what the app is doing with the info(unless you tear it apart).Like in the example a weather widget,of course its going to use gps.So what if another app that can access your phones info that would typically need to, but is broadcasting that info to a remote server.If you get what I'm, trying to get at.
Edit: What kmart said...lol

The only truly saving grace of these phones about the sensitivity of location awareness with respect to paranoia of the same, is that we can pull the battery and remove any doubt that the phone cannot disclose its function or location.
There was an article I read a while ago that the Fed's had issued over 3 million location requests last year to Sprint on users - warrant-less! How's that for Paranoia!!!
But all these apps in the market has the Buyer Beware tag so, of course at some point or another it will be exploited! For the most part, the idea of location awareness and marketing/advertisement and or service oriented provisioning is a great concept. The openness of the Android system to provide the same - will undoubtedly have it's shortfalls. A Good Firewall app that notifies and asks for approval prior to transmitting info or accepting connections from an app would go a long way to controlling potential problems. Just like a PC, which basically these phones have become.

well, considering I don't go on any financial sites from my phone, there's not much they can get off it...do they want my school email password? Have at it...they can read those worthless emails if they want (heck, even send a nice threatening email to my profressors for all I care lol).
Not to mention that my phone gets wiped a few times a week, just like so many other people here, there's not much they can get unless they can manage to hack into my google account and steal my credit card info...in which case, they won't be able to spend much on that account, since there's nothing in it lol.
This is as bad as "big brother" listening to my phone calls. What do I care? lol. If someone wants to know where I am, then by all means, let them know where I am. I'm not doing anything of interest to them.
On a side note, we apparently have caught the attention of the mods in this sub-forum, and have become a "family forum" according to a different thread lol.

tatonka_hero said:
On a side note, we apparently have caught the attention of the mods in this sub-forum, and have become a "family forum" according to a different thread lol.
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Hey Tatonka! Lol, wassup? hahaha, but if you could, please elaborate? I know it's off topic, but I'm happy to be apart of the Android Family hehe...
And oh... is there any PGP type Android app that anyone might be familiar with? Lol, just thinking about it with this topic, lol...

I was thinking about that 'Firewall App' idea.Maybe that could be done,it would definitely be something worth looking into.
In response to totonka's post,i hear you.I'm the same way,BUT there are plenty of people who do have sensitive info/files/pictures(you know what I'm talking about) that surely wouldn't want ANYone to have access to.That's just how it is.I'm just thinking of the tons of people who don't even know that this is even possible.

casperlt1 said:
I was thinking about that 'Firewall App' idea.Maybe that could be done,it would definitely be something worth looking into.
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My thoughts also, but I don't know if it is a true Firewall or just handles calls...

A security issue is still a security issue even if it doesn't affect you, and an invasion of privacy is still an invasion of privacy even if you don't care about it. Not trying to start any sort of flame here, please don't take it that way. Just mean to say that if you wait to take a stance on a known problem until it becomes YOUR problem, haven't you maybe waited too long?

Email to MOTO

Okay guys so we know all attempts at hacking the bootloader to circumvent the efuse hasn't worked. I feel that the only way to crack this thing open is with the keys from MOTO. Its a slim chance it will actually work but if enough people complain and flood their inboxes somethings bound to happen. maybe. hopefully. Well I sent in an email to tech support and got a cookie cutter response that you can see below. I then was playing around with possible email addresses for the Co-CEO Greg brown I finally landed on his email with the help of someone else and his email is [email protected] I sent him an email to which he forwarded to a PR person I'm guessing and got a cookie cutter response. This pisses me off. Let's do something about it. Everyone send your emails to to that guy requesting the keys. Make the subjects not all locked bootloader or he won't even look at them I'm guessing. This is ridiculous and we need to take a stand. If you don't like the idea then that's fine but to everyone else send an email.
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 2:30 PM
To: Brown Greg Pres CEO-CGB025
Subject: locked bootloader
Greg,
Please provide me with the keys to my phone. I purchased this phone and I should be able to do what I want with it. How would you like it if you purchased a car and the dealership put a lock on the hood not allowing you to access the engine. You would then have to go to that dealership each time you wanted anything done even though you are a mechanic yourself. This is exactly what is happening here. I'm tired of you guys locking down devices that a consumer has purchased. If I should so choose to do stuff that would violate warranties then that's all on me. You can reply with the keys.
Thanks.
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Their reply
Thank you for contacting Motorola. Your e-mail below was forwarded to me to address for Mr. Brown.
Motorola's primary focus is the security of our end users and protection of their data, while also meeting carrier, partner and legal requirements. The Droid X and a majority of Android consumer devices on the market today have a secured bootloader. In reference specifically to eFuse, the technology is not loaded with the purpose of preventing a consumer device from functioning, but rather ensuring for the user that the device only runs on updated and tested versions of software. If a device attempts to boot with unapproved software, it will go into recovery mode, and can re-boot once approved software is re-installed. Checking for a valid software configuration is a common practice within the industry to protect the user against potential malicious software threats. Motorola has been a long time advocate of open platforms and provides a number of resources to developers to foster the ecosystem including tools and access to devices via MOTODEV at http://developer.motorola.com.
Thank you,
Anne Arroyo
Motorola Consumer Advocacy Office
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COME ON GUYS.

What's the email address? It's worth a shot.
Sent from my DROIDX

bkjolly said:
What's the email address? It's worth a shot.
Sent from my DROIDX
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It's in the OP.

Email sent I will post it when I get the response.
Sent from my DROIDX

motorola don't care
You will get the same response... they feel they are protecting the end user which is us.... but also those who don't care to mod their droid x. They are operating under the excuse that someone may take the information and create a virus that would be able to take customer information... atleast that is the bull they are feeding the public. Not using the common since in their heads say... "we left the drod 1 unlocked and nothing significately bad happened." and they also like to say it will void the warranty.. bla bla bla... so no matter what you do all you will get is bullsh*t bullsh*t BULLSH*T.... until someone comes up with a valid excuse and manages to get through to an actual person... cause I would be willing to bet that... that is an automated response based on subject slash specific words in the body. no one with any power reads them and if they see anything envolving bootloader it is replied to in that fashion no matter what.

better off
You would be better off complaining if they don't want to unlock the bootloader, then they need to come up with a better more inventive and visualy apealing UI, cause BLUR is crap.

Motorola is starting to piss me off

Ubermicro13 said:
Motorola is starting to piss me off
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Same. They say they support the open policy but that's BS. I love the phone but will probably not buy another one. That being said I knew what I was getting into prior to buying the phone with the locked bootloader/eFuse. However, this being my first android phone I didn't realize how addicting customizing could be. ie. roms/kernals. well, I can imagine how addicting it would be.

emailed
just emailed greg..

Guy, think about this for a second.
What CAN'T we do to this phone that we're already doing, besides maybe an optimized kernel? WITH efuse in place, the devs have managed to implement overclocking, voltage mods, easy rooting, system ROMing, etc. Its my understanding that with the D1, OCing and voltage mods were done by customizing the kernel. Well, here we are with the DX and doing it easily with the bootloader still locked down.
Now, I'd like to see that bootloader unlocked for the sake of doing it, but still...um, we've already gotten around much of what we were prevented from doing in the first place and all under efuse's nose.

Aggie12 said:
Same. They say they support the open policy but that's BS. I love the phone but will probably not buy another one. That being said I knew what I was getting into prior to buying the phone with the locked bootloader/eFuse. However, this being my first android phone I didn't realize how addicting customizing could be. ie. roms/kernals. well, I can imagine how addicting it would be.
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Haha I'm on the same boat as you, It is indeed addicting.

The whole point of motorola locking down the bootloader was to prevent people from gaining the type of access we want. I know that the BL situation is annoying, but I was also aware of it when I bought the device. Personally, root and tethering are all that I want; otherwise, I would have bought a DI or Fascinate.
Not trying to hate, but i have seen multiple failed "outraged email drives" directed at motorola over the months
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App

davisbs999 said:
The whole point of motorola locking down the bootloader was to prevent people from gaining the type of access we want. I know that the BL situation is annoying, but I was also aware of it when I bought the device. Personally, root and tethering are all that I want; otherwise, I would have bought a DI or Fascinate.
Not trying to hate, but i have seen multiple failed "outraged email drives" directed at motorola over the months
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
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That's fine. I'm not looking for the approval of your nor anyone else. It was merely a chance for me to vent my frustration towards the man. And I know we have come far but it's more of the principle that they still have so much say with the device even though we own it.

Why don't just send them your custom ROMs so they can approve they are within their "QA"? huh?

Dany0 said:
Why don't just send them your custom ROMs so they can approve they are within their "QA"? huh?
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I agree with that. Elect a team to build the ULTIMATE ROM and send to Moto. Show them what the devs can accomplish along with our user support.
We have to provide resistance and keep the pressure on them to stop this kind of lockdown for the future of modding/hacking devices.

Why ultimate, first we have to see what kind of roms they accept and which not. Then everyone will send it's own ROM.
And then we will sue them.
And then chuck norris... oh nothing

jasonm4046 said:
You will get the same response... they feel they are protecting the end user which is us.... but also those who don't care to mod their droid x. They are operating under the excuse that someone may take the information and create a virus that would be able to take customer information... atleast that is the bull they are feeding the public. Not using the common since in their heads say... "we left the drod 1 unlocked and nothing significately bad happened." and they also like to say it will void the warranty.. bla bla bla... so no matter what you do all you will get is bullsh*t bullsh*t BULLSH*T.... until someone comes up with a valid excuse and manages to get through to an actual person... cause I would be willing to bet that... that is an automated response based on subject slash specific words in the body. no one with any power reads them and if they see anything envolving bootloader it is replied to in that fashion no matter what.
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I actually put it in my email not to give me that bull because everyone with half a brain knew it was a lie and that everyone that read it was laughing at Moto for thinking people were that stupid.
Sent from my DROIDX

SirBrass said:
Guy, think about this for a second.
What CAN'T we do to this phone that we're already doing, besides maybe an optimized kernel? WITH efuse in place, the devs have managed to implement overclocking, voltage mods, easy rooting, system ROMing, etc. Its my understanding that with the D1, OCing and voltage mods were done by customizing the kernel. Well, here we are with the DX and doing it easily with the bootloader still locked down.
Now, I'd like to see that bootloader unlocked for the sake of doing it, but still...um, we've already gotten around much of what we were prevented from doing in the first place and all under efuse's nose.
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The reason this is important is Moto's security gets tighter with every update. If we let them get away with it without at least trying to do something about it then they will continue to make security tighter and harder to work around. When other Manufacturers see that Moto got away with it they'll follow and eventually all phones will be locked down to the point that everyone is running the same Vanilla OS. The bootloader have a work around now but if we don't speak up it may not one day. They had no legitimate reason to lock the bootloader down it was just a show of force. Efuse is step one. So if you don't want Android ruined by the Manufacturers and Carriers speak up now. The Droid X is okay with a locked bootloader but they still put a leash on it and they're going to keep tightening it as long as we let them. Others will follow just watch HTC has already stared.
Sent from my DROIDX

Anyone want to start a web page for an online petition for Manufacturers not to lock down their phones? I would do it but I don't have the know how. But if we email this guy and start a web petition we have more of a voice. Call in to RadioAndroid and let the public know it's out there. This isn't just Moto we're fighting. We can stop other Manufacturs before they start or at least try.
Sent from my DROIDX

bkjolly said:
Anyone want to start a web page for an online petition for Manufacturers not to lock down their phones? I would do it but I don't have the know how. But if we email this guy and start a web petition we have more of a voice. Call in to RadioAndroid and let the public know it's out there. This isn't just Moto we're fighting. We can stop other Manufacturs before they start or at least try.
Sent from my DROIDX
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There have already been two online petitions done.

B&N called me about installing CM7

I am sorry if this has been posted before. I've searched everywhere. Friday night I get a call around midnight. I was using my NC with my bootable SD at the time. I didn't recognize the number, it wasn't local, so I let it go to voicemail. When I check it, I hear a man who says he's Barnes and Noble customer service and that he can see that I have installed Cyanogenmod and I have violated the terms of service, and, "would I please call him back so we can straighten this whole mess out?" First off, this was originally my wife's Nook. Registered to her. I want to know how in the he11 B&N got my phone number, and furthermore how the got MY cell number?! I feel like my privacy has been compromised. Has this happened to anyone else out there? I mean, Motorola has never called me for all of their devices that I've rooted. People on the Android Tablet Forum think I'm the victim of a joke by a friend. I assure everyone, it is not. My friends are clueless about rooting and CM7.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA App

Yea......
</10char>

Sounds like a phishing scam to me. I strongly doubt B&N would have called you because
1) you never gave them your number
2) they have nothing to gain by calling you. if you screwed up your device, you just have to buy another.
3) there's no way for them to have discovered that you are using CM7 and
4) they're probably not calling people at midnight for any reason.

marchingknight11 said:
Sounds like a phishing scam to me. I strongly doubt B&N would have called you because
1) you never gave them your number
2) they have nothing to gain by calling you. if you screwed up your device, you just have to buy another.
3) there's no way for them to have discovered that you are using CM7 and
4) they're probably not calling people at midnight for any reason.
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I'd say you're probably right marchingknight11. But I probably do need to find out where and how my info and privacy was compromised. I am also curious if this has happened to anyone else in Nook world.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using XDA App

i suggest installing PDroid and locking down your device so that it is not sharing your data with people.
there is no way B&N called you about this, like the other dude said...they only profit from people rooting and modding their devices...if we brick it we usually have to buy another one, or at least that is what they think.
I also would suggest googling the phone # and see what comes up about the #, or just call up B&N customer service and ask them if they would do such a thing

Firstly, I don't thin it's B&N since I don't believe any of them will spend time calling you at midnite.
Secondly, tell them if you've spent money out of your pocket purchasing a BMW then jump on it, rip it off, hammering it, ......, all of those are none of their business ........... as long as you do not ask them (BMW dealership or in your case, B&N) to pay for the fix.
Thirdly, since somehow you leaked your info, that is the dangerous part. How do they know your NC running CM7? Did you tell any of your friend? Did you provide yr phone on the web?

What was the number that called you? Post it here or do a reverse phone look up. Did you created the bootable sd yourself? Where did you download the rom from?

wow thats pretty creepy! Ive never heard anything like that before, maybe Google collected info from your device and told Barnes & nobles, when i go to the android marketplace on my p.c it even says "listed devices" Nookcolor so maybe google did something? hmmm

Android311 said:
wow thats pretty creepy! Ive never heard anything like that before, maybe Google collected info from your device and told Barnes & nobles, when i go to the android marketplace on my p.c it even says "listed devices" Nookcolor so maybe google did something? hmmm
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Google?...
facepalm.gif
dude....no....you're about as sharp as the OP aren't you?

What are you talking about?
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium

Android311 said:
What are you talking about?
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
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He's saying that it's highly unlikely that it was a legitimate phone call.

Android311 said:
What are you talking about?
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Aside from the point that B&N would be highly unlikely to do anything like this at all, B&N would quite clearly never make a customer service call of any sort between 10pm at night and 8am in the morning.unless it was at the request of a customer.
This is a phishing scam from someone too amateur to realize that they got their time zone conversion to the US wrong. The bait website collected the user identification info used to tailor websites to different devices, and somehow the phone number was obtained ~ whether its available or the OP was conned into entering it ~ and then the number was called. A request for login passwords or credit card details is likely not be very down the script for however many fall for the scam.

I work in Barnes & Noble.
They don't care about your rooted/modded Nook. At all.
Everyone there loves my tabletified Nook Color and I even installed CM7 on a manager's NC.
If you use your Nook as intended but also root it, B&N potentially makes more money off of you since you'll miss out on Nook-specific deals.

TheAmazingDave said:
I work in Barnes & Noble.
They don't care about your rooted/modded Nook. At all.
Everyone there loves my tabletified Nook Color and I even installed CM7 on a manager's NC.
If you use your Nook as intended but also root it, B&N potentially makes more money off of you since you'll miss out on Nook-specific deals.
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Click to collapse
Ok, upgrade "B&N is highly unlikely to do anything like this at all", to "B&N is certainly not going to do anything like this."
Like I said, it looks very much like a phishing scam, since it requires only three pieces of information to run ~ phone #, device name, and OS name ~ and at least two of them are by default told to any website that asks. So it could easily be run off of a bait website ~ either a website that appears to be offering something for nothing, or a phony front-end to a legit site.

I'll bet it was the Illuminati.
In response to a previous response: no, B&N LOSES money from us rooting our devices. We are no longer using their market or their book app, which means that if their device is subsidized, they are losing big if most customers turn to this.
Do I think the call was real, or that B&N cares that much? No, it's not real, and no, B&N doesn't care. Your NC is old school and outmoded to them anyhow. NT is their current device.
As for your phone call, based on what you have said so far, it sounds like you let your information leak on one of these boards, or perhaps your real name, which could be traced to your number using a search on the interwebs. Who called you? Well, either someone wanting to get their hands on your device for free, or some Chinese farmer looking for a quick profit.
Protect your info. That's the lesson to be had here.

My guess is the particular ROM you are using must have some security issues. Maybe while using it for everyday things like signing up for thing online or shopping some scam got a hold of your info.
I can assure you that it's not B&N. I highly recommend a full wipe and re-install an updated version of the ROM you are currently using. The fact that someone even know that you installed Cyanogenmod in your device tells me that they got inside access to your device.

motorbreath1 said:
I hear a man who says he's Barnes and Noble customer service and that he can see that I have installed Cyanogenmod and I have violated the terms of service, and, "would I please call him back so we can straighten this whole mess out?"
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Yeah, I would definitely do a reverse lookup of the number. Maybe report it to B&N (leave out the CM7 part). If it's a scam, they can forward it to the FBI.

How about I offer a legit 3 step process to OP to figure this out...
1. Post callers number here
2. Allow your fellow internet heathen natured co-nerds have some fun.
3. Enjoy the resulting fun.

majorpay said:
In response to a previous response: no, B&N LOSES money from us rooting our devices. We are no longer using their market or their book app, which means that if their device is subsidized, they are losing big if most customers turn to this.
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Yeah, but I wasn't planning on buying anything from them anyway, and most people will be scared off from either the choices or the horror stories of people 'bricking' their NC.
TheAmazingDave said:
I work in Barnes & Noble.
They don't care about your rooted/modded Nook. At all.
Everyone there loves my tabletified Nook Color and I even installed CM7 on a manager's NC.
If you use your Nook as intended but also root it, B&N potentially makes more money off of you since you'll miss out on Nook-specific deals.
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This might be the most hilarious thing I'll see all week.

Data-Miner Android L

I am starting to think that I am not going to use Android L.
Look at this. So, Search, from thegreatestdataminingcompanytheworldhaseverknown is now metasticized throughout the Android OS. Every page, every app, calls out to thatsearchengineeveryoneuses. It's even listening when the phone's OFF! I'll say that again: it's listening all the time. And there's no way to disable it! Coming from Intelligence, and as I've never trusted them, I've always deinstalled most G**gle apps, but now it appears their creepy circus-colored fingers have permeated throughout.
I realise that my point of view will strike many Upright Citizens as shocking because, after all, 'we can trust them'. All I can say is, our public education system has failed us. (Hint: If you are not paying for a product...
... you are the product)
Time for me to start looking into Linux options. Failing that, I'll just stick with Carbon 4.4.4, which serves fine. Oh, I'll probably try Andriod L, but I'm pretty sure now of what I'll find.

Interesting read. I never trusted them when it comes to your data and listening. Lol

If they want to watch me look at tits and asses, so be it

And the Moto X has had always on listening since release, better just throw the phone away and get a dumb phone...
Sent from my Moto X

How do they decide who to listen too? That's a lot of people to eavesdrop on. ?

Quantumstate said:
. . .
It's even listening when the phone's OFF! I'll say that again: it's listening all the time. And there's no way to disable it! Coming from Intelligence, and as I've never trusted them, I've always deinstalled most G**gle apps, but now it appears their creepy circus-colored fingers have permeated throughout
......./QUOTE]
Reading that post says to me that the phone listens when the screen is off, not when the phone itself is off.
There are also options to turn off the "search from any screen" feature.
So I guess I am not quite as paranoid as you, yet.
Maybe that's why fewer devices have removable batteries; so we can't turn them off all the way.
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murso74 said:
If they want to watch me look at tits and asses, so be it
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You have a misconception of your importance. This, you were trained into though, so you come by it honestly.
Darth said:
How do they decide who to listen to? That's a lot of people to eavesdrop on.
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Doesn't matter. With a security mindset you assume it's always you. Ask Schnier.
marvin02 said:
Quantumstate said:
. . .
It's even listening when the phone's OFF! I'll say that again: it's listening all the time. And there's no way to disable it! Coming from Intelligence, and as I've never trusted them, I've always deinstalled most G**gle apps, but now it appears their creepy circus-colored fingers have permeated throughout
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reading that post says to me that the phone listens when the screen is off, not when the phone itself is off.
There are also options to turn off the "search from any screen" feature.
So I guess I am not quite as paranoid as you, yet.
Maybe that's why fewer devices have removable batteries; so we can't turn them off all the way.
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Click to collapse
Ya, but what proof do we have at this point that it's not listening when actually -off-? I have none. (ref: OnStar) If you deal in sensitive matters, would you give them the credit? I wouldn't.
Looking into this, I find there is no viable Linux alternative, as we used to have with Opie. So either I block everything G**gle with an independent app like Android Firewall, or do with 4.4.4.

Oh no! Now everyone will know about my life because I'm super-important.

I'm not going to even try to say that Google does no wrong and doesn't use most of the data we send to it for advertising, but they don't listen to you, the phone does.
The phone listens for certain frequencies of sound in certain orders, if it doesn't see those, it keeps looking. It doesn't record every single thing said and send it to Google, it only sends what you say to it (everything past "OK Google").
It's the same way a button works. Nothing records when a button isn't pressed, but things records when it is.
As for the rest of Google, they do make their living off of a free service, what more can you expect? I'd rather pay for a no ad version of their stuff instaid, but untill that's possible, that's just the way it works if you want those beautiful services.

i really couldnt give a flying hoot nannies @#$% about that i have got absolutely nothing to hide. i read an artical a while back that the CIA tracks anybody who is "tor curious" hi CIA i really dont care if you're reading this because im on you internet monitoring list or whatever. i am not doign anything that i dont have the right to do. Damn i love the US. anyhow if your concerned about that what about this than?

Quantumstate said:
You have a misconception of your importance. This, you were trained into though, so you come by it honestly.
Doesn't matter. With a security mindset you assume it's always you. Ask Schnier.
Ya, but what proof do we have at this point that it's not listening when actually -off-? I have none. (ref: OnStar) If you deal in sensitive matters, would you give them the credit? I wouldn't.
Looking into this, I find there is no viable Linux alternative, as we used to have with Opie. So either I block everything G**gle with an independent app like Android Firewall, or do with 4.4.4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's simple my friend...... A smartphone is not for you then. Get an old flip phone and no one will spy on you. ?
No tablet or computers with cameras or microphones either.
New cars have Bluetooth... Not good.
Some TV's and video game consoles have cameras. Gone.
Can't think of anything else just yet. ?

Yeah.. it's not recording and streaming everything you say. The always listening feature isn't going to decipher everything you say until it matches the hot word, that would kill your battery. It's only kicks in when it detects multiple tones in a certain order.. I don't even know why I'm typing this, think what you want dude, that's not how it works. Keep your conspiracy theories to yourself.

bluebloomers said:
I'm not going to even try to say that Google does no wrong and doesn't use most of the data we send to it for advertising, but they don't listen to you, the phone does.
The phone listens for certain frequencies of sound in certain orders, if it doesn't see those, it keeps looking. It doesn't record every single thing said and send it to Google, it only sends what you say to it (everything past "OK Google").
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone has a co-processor which is independent of the main system. Sure, its main function is to watch for keywords and instigate searches based on commands, but it can also be co-opted. I'm not saying any more because apparently I'm frightening a few people here who don't want to face it.
Darth said:
It's simple my friend...... A smartphone is not for you then. Get an old flip phone and no one will spy on you. ?
No tablet or computers with cameras or microphones either.
New cars have Bluetooth... Not good.
Some TV's and video game consoles have cameras. Gone.
Can't think of anything else just yet. ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice trivializing there, Darth. Of course I've hardened what I have, and since this is such a touchy subject I'm not giving any hints. You have no idea who I am or why I bring this up.
You guys just blithely hand over all your contacts, your network of friends, your calendar, the websites you visit, your searches, your location 24x7, hell your very phone calls. I feel sorry for younger people these days who have no idea that all their online activity will follow them around -forever-. The stupid things they say online, being victimized by bullies, all will follow them to every future job application, every romantic engagement, and their future neighbors will know more about them than they can imagine. And I feel sorry for those whose self-esteem is so low that they feel worthless.
You just have no idea what prostrating yourself to the authorities like this, means. You have no idea what it was like in East Germany or Soviet Russia, much less where we're headed. You've never read 1984 or Fahrenheit 451. And you will pay the price by a subtle enslavement which is too abstract for you to understand, without an education. Something will smell bad but you will never be able to figure out what it is nor do something about it.
I am not here to bicker or school you. I was just trying to do y'all a favor by giving you a perspective that you may not have seen, with everyone so anxious to be "licking your lollipops". I tried to help, but some of you are too cool for me.

Thanks for that. Maybe you should unmask yourself and make a proper point rather than misguiding, misinterpreting and mistakenly telling everyone that they are stupid. Oh yes, and telling everyone what they may or may not have read (wrong on both counts).
Where did you get your education? Were you ever told to think for yourself? Let's go back over that last one again, as modernity tends to gloss it... Were you ever told to think for yourself?
Sent from my XT1052 using XDA Free mobile app

^ completely agree

Yes, I know. I'm the bad guy, lol.
See, this is why no one any longer shares any real information with you on The Internets. You feel frightened of what you are doing when I demonstrate why... and so you senselessly take it out on -me- rather than getting your own sh*t together. Good job there.
kboya said:
Oh yes, and telling everyone what they may or may not have read (wrong on both counts).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't lie. No one will believe you after a while.
Remember, privacy is an inherent human right, and a requirement for maintaining the human condition with dignity and respect.
Cardinal Richelieu understood the meaning of surveillance when he famously said, "If one would give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest man, I would find something in them to have him hanged." Watch someone long enough, and you will find something to arrest -- or just blackmail -- with. Privacy is important because without it, surveillance information will be abused: to peep, to sell to marketers and to spy on political enemies -- whoever they happen to be at the time.
We do nothing wrong when we make love or go to the bathroom. (the adults here, anyway) We are not deliberately hiding anything when we seek out private places for reflection or conversation. We keep private journals, sing in the privacy of the shower, and write letters to secret lovers and then burn them. Privacy is a basic human need.
If we are observed in all matters, we are constantly under threat of correction, judgment, criticism, even plagiarism of our own uniqueness. We become children, fettered under watchful eyes, constantly fearful that --either now or in the uncertain future-- patterns we leave behind will be brought back to implicate us, by whatever authority has now become focused upon our once-private and innocent acts. We lose our individuality, because everything we do is observable and recordable.
How many of the adults present have paused during conversation in the past four-and-a-half years, suddenly aware that we might be eavesdropped on? Probably it was a phone conversation, although maybe it was an e-mail or instant-message exchange or a conversation in a public place. Maybe the topic was terrorism, or politics, or Islam. We stop suddenly, momentarily afraid that our words might be taken out of context, then we laugh at our paranoia and go on. But our demeanor has changed, and our words are subtly altered.
This is the loss of freedom we face when our privacy is taken from us. This is life in former East Germany, or life in Saddam Hussein's Iraq. And it's our future as we allow an ever-intrusive eye into our personal, private lives.
Liberty requires security without intrusion, security plus privacy. Widespread surveillance is the very definition of a police state. And that's why educated people must champion privacy even when we have nothing to hide.

The level of stupid in this thread astounds me. If someone wants your information or something of yours, they're going to get it. It doesn't matter if your phone is always listening or not.
Sent from my Moto X

'Good job' there, eh, "imnuts".
Giving up is not the answer.

i love how, when everyone doesn't jump on this tools bandwagon, he turns on the forums.

Op is as a TROLL!
Thread is ridiculous!

The b**tard snooping advertising

I know it is bad and one reason I have always rooted, but this is getting ridiculous.
I take a certain medication. It is not a well known medication and besides my doctor, only my wife and mother know I take it and the name of it.
I can't even recall discussing it much, or ever even emailing about it to anyone except my Insurance company to file a complaint about them not covering it.
To my utter disbelief it started appearing in ads when I surf the web.
I knew it was bad and privacy is not real, but this actually got to me.
I am still trying to figure this one out.
Anyone had a similar experience? This is friggin nuts.

That was one of the main reasons why I would root my phone, to get rid of CarrierIQ or anything else that might have been added by Verizon to collect information on searches I may have previously done.

Hardknockz313 said:
That was one of the main reasons why I would root my phone, to get rid of CarrierIQ or anything else that might have been added by Verizon to collect information on searches I may have previously done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rooted with the DE edition- how do i get rid of carrieriq ?

There is a way to manually remove carrier iq from phones, but I honestly don't know how to do it myself. I've seen threads in the past that told you step by step how to do this process, so I'm sure you could probably search XDA for a "How to Guide". I know that most roms that developers make have Carrier IQ removed, so if you don't want to remove it yourself, then using a custom rom would be your best bet.

first see if you have it
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.projectvoodoo.simplecarrieriqdetector

sprintuser1977 said:
I know it is bad and one reason I have always rooted, but this is getting ridiculous.
I take a certain medication. It is not a well known medication and besides my doctor, only my wife and mother know I take it and the name of it.
I can't even recall discussing it much, or ever even emailing about it to anyone except my Insurance company to file a complaint about them not covering it.
To my utter disbelief it started appearing in ads when I surf the web.
I knew it was bad and privacy is not real, but this actually got to me.
I am still trying to figure this one out.
Anyone had a similar experience? This is friggin nuts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you have Google interest specific ads enabled still. Try this:
https://support.google.com/ads/answer/2662922?hl=en

KennyG123 said:
Sounds like you have Google interest specific ads enabled still. Try this:
https://support.google.com/ads/answer/2662922?hl=en
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for showing me this!

I'm not sure Carrier ID is on the Note 4... well atleast my Dev Edition

sprintuser1977 said:
I know it is bad and one reason I have always rooted, but this is getting ridiculous.
I take a certain medication. It is not a well known medication and besides my doctor, only my wife and mother know I take it and the name of it.
I can't even recall discussing it much, or ever even emailing about it to anyone except my Insurance company to file a complaint about them not covering it.
To my utter disbelief it started appearing in ads when I surf the web.
I knew it was bad and privacy is not real, but this actually got to me.
I am still trying to figure this one out.
Anyone had a similar experience? This is friggin nuts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can you even say it was your device, it could have been from 100 other sources. I agree that's a big reason to run root to have control but these days even if u think you are carefully 100s of vendors know what you use, like, buy.....