Database Users

Does the G1 have security issues?

I was talking to some co-workers about my G1 and the features that the 1.5 firmware adds to the phone. One co-worker says he'll never get an Android phone because he heard it had security issues. Specifically, he heard that the phone's location services is always broadcasting the phone's location while the phone is on, and that it is possible to use that broadcast to remotely connect to the phone (and therefore take data off the phone).
I tried searching, but couldn't find anything in Google or elsewhere that confirms or refutes this supposed security issue. Anybody know if this security issue is real or is my co-worker misinformed?

I guess he might be referring to Google Latitude. Latitude is a service similar to Loopt that lets you share your location with a list of Google contacts of your choosing. It's completely optional and off by default. There is another remote access service where Android Market may remotely delete an installed app that was downloaded from the Android Market if it was found to have violated one of the Market's TOS. This does not affect apps not installed by Market. A similar guideline is in place with the iPhone and Blackberry stores.
All phones that access a cellular network can be tracked some way or another, regardless of what operating system is installed. It's not hard to understand why: in order to use the cell network, you have to connect to a cell. Now that cell knows approximately in a few km radius where you are. Using timing triangulation, cell networks can locate a person to a few hundred meters. This kind of information is accessible by emergency services.
In reality, your coworker(s) are no more qualified to speak on Android as they are about any other mobile phone operating system on its privacy as they (I assume) have never seen the source code of any of them.

compupolis said:
I was talking to some co-workers about my G1 and the features that the 1.5 firmware adds to the phone. One co-worker says he'll never get an Android phone because he heard it had security issues. Specifically, he heard that the phone's location services is always broadcasting the phone's location while the phone is on, and that it is possible to use that broadcast to remotely connect to the phone (and therefore take data off the phone).
I tried searching, but couldn't find anything in Google or elsewhere that confirms or refutes this supposed security issue. Anybody know if this security issue is real or is my co-worker misinformed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android is one of the (if not absolutely the) most secure mobile OS available.
Providing the location of the device is PURELY OPTIONAL, and does not IN ANY WAY create a security risk. Just because you know the location of something does not mean that you can get into it. Take an armored car as an example. It can be driving down the street right in front of you, and that does NOT help you break in to it.
In fact, the location is absolutely USELESS for breaking into something. If there was a security vulnerability, it would be the NETWORK ADDRESS (location independent) that would give someone a viable attack.
Now as it sits, Android is Linux -- well known for very strong security (unlike that redmond virus that is known for seeking out and installing every kind of self destruct mechanism it can find). But unlike a standard linux distribution, when multiple programs are run by a single user, each of those programs are run as a DIFFERENT USER. Each program gets unique credentials within the system and is isolated from all the other programs. That means that if you have one program that is BOTH listening for network connections AND provides some bug/backdoor/etc. through which someone could break in, then that person breaking in would be restricted strictly to the userspace of that particular program. In other words, they could get or break the data for THAT PROGRAM and not any other program.
You can get the same degree of poorly written programs for ALL operating systems. What makes a system secure is what it does to keep one broken program from taking down the rest of the system, and for this, Android is very strong.
So now you can tell your coworker that he is full of $61t.

Can someone indulge us on how Iphone's security works? I'm pretty sure that it's inferior to G1's but I'd like to know the facts so I can stick it to couple fanboys that I know.

Google services connectivity issues

I did a search and I haven't found any info online. Within the past month or so, I have been getting google services connectivity issues where the colors on the bars switch on and off from white to green (meaning there is internet connectivity but no connection to google services). I don't get this problem when I am connected directly to wifi.
This is annoying because if I sign on gchat/gmail, there is a delay until I receive the updated information.
I was hoping that 2.3.4 would resolve this issue, but it still remains.
There is a thread going on about this issue where other people have reported seeing this:
http://www.google.com/support/forum...ad?fid=7c7a962fd3ae87e20004a26b2f3f005b&hl=en
Has anyone on the forums experienced this issue? Are there problems with the google services currently? Thanks in advance.

this also happens the other way around. i'm not connected to a phone service, but can see a signal, and when wifi is active and connected, the green signal bars turn green, even though 'no service' is displayed in the notifications.

I've noticed the same thing. Its been happening for the last few weeks.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App

I have experienced problems with the Google location services on 3G. Since I have gotten the Nexus S and am on 3G my location is always "temporarily not available" - 2.3.3, 2.3.4, various versions of Maps - no fix. Tried clearing out the data and cache in Google services framework, Maps - no go - still same problem.
WiFi and GPS are fine. Tomorrow I will go to service center and see if it is some how related to the phone or the carrier network..
Gmail and Talk seem to work ok....

I have the same problem, connection to google is lost when the phone sleeps and sometimes randomly. I have looked everywhere but can't find any fix or official response. This started around April 14.
This issue is so frustrating, it carries over from rom to rom, my phone is basically useless now!
I had to switch to regular voicemail, cause Google voice is so delayed, gmail and google talk are basically useless too.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App

A2017G Nougat AutoNavi location service

Hello, I hope that someone can assist with the location service of the phone. Before nougat everything looked OK, but now I have a problem with the High Accuracy mode of the GPS.
Basically when I enable it, I get the Google location service pop-up, to which I agree, however it's immediately followed by one from AutoNavi, which seems to be some Chinese bloatware/share your data with everyone (the privacy policy is in Chinese also). I wish to use just the Google one, not the Chinese, but when I disagree with the second pop-up, it's back to GPS only. I wanted to ask If anyone knows a workaround for that, or a way to enable just Google location service?
Thanks in advance.

Maybe freeze the app if you are rooted

*SOLVED*force update play services breaks data

So, PayPal and android pay finally integrated. And the only way that the integration will show up in either app is to have play services version 11.0.56. *pic below* However, this update is only supposed to be available to certain parts of the US currently I guess as it was just released about a week ago and they want to soft release.
After I did initial research, I found that I could simply download the updated play services and install. Which worked great initially. (everyone without integration capabilities should be on version 10.x.xx)
Got it set up and properly situated, while on WiFi. Kind of ignored the Google play services won't run unless you update(downgrade) it notification. *pic below*
Went to the store to realize I have no data capability on my phone. Tried just about everything so far besides downgrade because I want the integration.
So to my question vvvvv
*Does anyone know if Google play services/framework is capable of blocking all data traffic? *
Because it still shows I have great data connection(as I use the tmobile lte booster and always have good in home data. Testes with another phone to make sure booster isn't messed up) , but any app I try to use that is connected to Google play, does not have a connection. But everything works perfectly over WiFi
UPDATE: Went to remove my Google account to add it again. Upon removing Google account, sim status shows absolutely no service now
Also, I am on Tmobile
-pulled sim out and back and showing service again. But still not able to access any app connected to play store
Double Update-
**Solved**
For some reason it stopped dns capabilities of ipv6. Which is weird given the apn has been running ipv6 stock in the apn from tmobile... So i switched to my apn which is ipv6/ipv4.
Just still not sure what happened there to make that issue

Accidentally sideloaded verizon full image

So I was rooting my Google store bought pixel 4 and missed a step. Needless to say I had to sideload a full ota to recover it. But I'm pretty sure I accidentally loaded the verzion version. I got all the verizon apps that showed up when I rebooted the phone. I went back and wiped everything in recovery mode and tried sideloading QD1A.190821.007.A3 and it keeps erroring out. This is the firmware that Im 90% sure what was on my phone. Is there a way to get back to factory google store firmware or am I screwed now? I am on a verizon sim but phone was bought on launch day from the google store. Its also noted that I am currently on QD1A.190821.014 firmware. This doesn't appear to be the verizon firmware.

The Verizon apps appear not based on which ROM version you load, but instead based on whether you have a Verizon SIM in the phone during setup.
If you loaded the wrong ROM onto the phone, you may not be able to recover by sideloading an OTA. You should be able to recover by doing a complete reflash of the image you want (the image version, not the OTA version).
What error is it giving you?

I cant remember the exact error but it would error out about 45% through the flashing. I am currently running QD1A.190821.014 which appears to the google FI, T'Mobile firmware. I still have the ability to turn OEM Unlock on in my settings, so it appears I am ok. I just wish they had better wording on which firmwares for the unlocked ones form the google store and others.

BubbaGumprc said:
I cant remember the exact error but it would error out about 45% through the flashing. I am currently running QD1A.190821.014 which appears to the google FI, T'Mobile firmware. I still have the ability to turn OEM Unlock on in my settings, so it appears I am ok. I just wish they had better wording on which firmwares for the unlocked ones form the google store and others.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regarding loading the wrong one, I did the same thing because the December update had a discrepancy between the announcement and the download page about which rom applies to which phones. I switched back and forth between QQ1B.191205.011 and QQ1B.191205.012.A1 before they finally corrected it, but everything worked fine on both versions as far as I could tell.
About the Verizon apps, if you're on Verizon or one of its MVNOs, if it installs other stuff, you'll want to leave it. Don't confuse My Verizon and My Verizon Services. My Verizon can be uninstalled, but if you mess with My Verizon Services, you'll end up losing things like wifi calling.

Jon8RFC said:
Regarding loading the wrong one, I did the same thing because the December update had a discrepancy between the announcement and the download page about which rom applies to which phones. I switched back and forth between QQ1B.191205.011 and QQ1B.191205.012.A1 before they finally corrected it, but everything worked fine on both versions as far as I could tell.
About the Verizon apps, if you're on Verizon or one of its MVNOs, if it installs other stuff, you'll want to leave it. Don't confuse My Verizon and My Verizon Services. My Verizon can be uninstalled, but if you mess with My Verizon Services, you'll end up losing things like wifi calling.
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Click to collapse
That's not true. You can go to all apps and show system. MVS can't be deleted without root but you can disable it with no adverse effects. They can't get into your device to see what you have installed and when you installed it, but who wants to give them that info anyway?

bobby janow said:
That's not true. You can go to all apps and show system. MVS can't be deleted without root but you can disable it with no adverse effects. They can't get into your device to see what you have installed and when you installed it, but who wants to give them that info anyway?
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Click to collapse
As of Android 8, disabling My Verizon Services doesn't permit wifi calling because it depended on that application for that functionality. It's hard to remember what else was troublesome, but I thought there was something else which didn't function once it was disabled.
I don't have wifi calling anymore on Visible, and I never used Android 9 because of the wifi scan throttling mess anyway.
Would you mind checking that your wifi calling works on your pixel 4, disabling My Verizon Services, rebooting, switching on airplane mode, then enabling wifi only, and then try making a phone call? I'm interested to know if that behavior has changed. Thanks!
Here's some more information. It certainly seems true for others as well:
https://community.verizonwireless.c...ng-since-Android-8-update/td-p/1042025/page/2
And many other XDA threads correlating the two:
https://www.google.com/search?q=sit...69i57j69i58.6651j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Maybe things have changed in Android 9 or 10, but please test it out if you haven't already!
EDIT:
It looks like you tested it out in another XDA thread already where others lost wifi calling when it was disabled, but you said you were still able to make wifi calls. It's strange that you're the only one who can disable My Verizon Services and make wifi calls, but others can't. Very strange.

Jon8RFC said:
As of Android 8, disabling My Verizon Services doesn't permit wifi calling because it depended on that application for that functionality. It's hard to remember what else was troublesome, but I thought there was something else which didn't function once it was disabled.
I don't have wifi calling anymore on Visible, and I never used Android 9 because of the wifi scan throttling mess anyway.
Would you mind checking that your wifi calling works on your pixel 4, disabling My Verizon Services, rebooting, switching on airplane mode, then enabling wifi only, and then try making a phone call? I'm interested to know if that behavior has changed. Thanks!
Here's some more information. It certainly seems true for others as well:
https://community.verizonwireless.c...ng-since-Android-8-update/td-p/1042025/page/2
And many other XDA threads correlating the two:
https://www.google.com/search?q=sit...69i57j69i58.6651j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Maybe things have changed in Android 9 or 10, but please test it out if you haven't already!
EDIT:
It looks like you tested it out in another XDA thread already where others lost wifi calling when it was disabled, but you said you were still able to make wifi calls. It's strange that you're the only one who can disable My Verizon Services and make wifi calls, but others can't. Very strange.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My wife has a Verizon device Pixel 3 locked bl and I have a Pixel 4 and they both have MVS disabled and both can call on wifi. I just tested again to make sure. Really, I'm the only one? Gotta love that. I hate that they can get into my device without my knowing and see what and when I installed stuff.