Database Users

Apps which can brick the phone

Hi,
Today I found this document on the german website www.heise.de
This document is a threat analysis of the Android Market.
On page 9 is an overview how many apps have which permissions and there are 9 apps that can brick your phone!!
Does anybody know such an app which can brick the phone?

You should read this: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/burnette/cnet-retracts-article-on-android-app-privacy-threat/1987 and realize its all a scam to get people to buy an iphone.

They where listing one of the option as brick, anybody know if there's such option. and what it does, I doubt it would brick the phone in the real meaning...
either way anything that has a direct connection to the internet and access to your record is a potential risk, it is goog to be aware of this but pointing Android because it list such option is quite ridiculous since other OS doesn't even warn you about the fact that program can read your data...

Link: http://developer.android.com/reference/android/Manifest.permission.html
android.permission.BRICK
Required to be able to disable the device (very dangerous!).

Good lord, WIPE I could see.... BRICK!?

klausdieter79 said:
Link: http://developer.android.com/reference/android/Manifest.permission.html
android.permission.BRICK
Required to be able to disable the device (very dangerous!).
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Click to collapse
I think it's there in the SDK only for testing on the emulator. I'm quite sure none of the actual hardware devices would support it.. or at least I hope not

rohandhruva said:
I think it's there in the SDK only for testing on the emulator. I'm quite sure none of the actual hardware devices would support it.. or at least I hope not
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I think it should be there, at least I have one use for it, an application to remotely lock your phone (or wipe critical information) in case of stole or lost phone. Definitely user should confirm this permission and should only do that if they completely trust the author.

bohlool said:
I think it should be there, at least I have one use for it, an application to remotely lock your phone (or wipe critical information) in case of stole or lost phone. Definitely user should confirm this permission and should only do that if they completely trust the author.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remote locking is different from bricking. It makes no sense to "remotely brick" a stolen device, because then, even if you do get it back, it's useless.

But when you install the app, it has to display the permission
This application has access to the following:
Hardware controls
Brick your phone

rohandhruva said:
I think it's there in the SDK only for testing on the emulator. I'm quite sure none of the actual hardware devices would support it.. or at least I hope not
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure there's some kind of app that can potentially brick your phone. No doubt you have to be rooted for it to have access to that ability. Clockwork ROM manager could potentially brick you're phone if you do something stupid (battery pull).
Read the permissions. Don't install what seems suspect. If the app tries to do something it doesn't have permission to do, the OS won't allow it. It's not like another app store where you have to rely on a fallible person to safeguard you.
Oh, and don't freak out when that free game you're looking at asks for internet access and your GPS location. It needs that info to serve you ads so it stays free. Don't be paranoid, nobody really cares about you, never mind enough to stalk you.

ATnTdude said:
I'm sure there's some kind of app that can potentially brick your phone. No doubt you have to be rooted for it to have access to that ability. Clockwork ROM manager could potentially brick you're phone if you do something stupid (battery pull).
Read the permissions. Don't install what seems suspect. If the app tries to do something it doesn't have permission to do, the OS won't allow it. It's not like another app store where you have to rely on a fallible person to safeguard you.
Oh, and don't freak out when that free game you're looking at asks for internet access and your GPS location. It needs that info to serve you ads so it stays free. Don't be paranoid, nobody really cares about you, never mind enough to stalk you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Clockwork ROM Manager application itself can't brick the phone - or at least it won't advertise that it can. The bricking is caused if the flashing process is interrupted, which is (strictly speaking) outside the purview of the app.
Also, what the OP found is just an ability to advertise to the user that installing this app can brick the phone. There is no mechanism by which an apk, running inside the dalvik jvm sandbox, can cause irrevocable hardware damage to the phone - at least none has been found yet.
Your last paragraph about games staying free and paranoia is just off-topic.

rohandhruva said:
The Clockwork ROM Manager application itself can't brick the phone - or at least it won't advertise that it can. The bricking is caused if the flashing process is interrupted, which is (strictly speaking) outside the purview of the app.
Also, what the OP found is just an ability to advertise to the user that installing this app can brick the phone. There is no mechanism by which an apk, running inside the dalvik jvm sandbox, can cause irrevocable hardware damage to the phone - at least none has been found yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) You're Splitting hairs. We don't know what criteria the company that produced this study was using. Given that the whole thing was a springboard for advertising the need for their product, they're probably being more loose with the facts than you or I would. I used Clockwork as an example of how they might be interpreting the market.
2) I wasn't arguing against you. I was using your post to segue into my own. So do not take anything I said as something against your position. I, in fact, agree with your statement. I highly doubt a stock Android handset will allow you permission to brick it. I even doubt there is a root-only app that will purposefully brick your phone. I think SMobile Systems is borderline LYING to sell their unneeded product.
Your last paragraph about games staying free and paranoia is just off-topic.
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Click to collapse
XDA attracts a lot more than experts, many of which are not even vaguely familiar with Android permissions are, what app services might need them, nevermind the economics of the Android market. As such, given that I had in the previous sentence advised people to be critical of the permissions that apps request (I don't think most people look at them closely enough), I went the other way and told them not to be so careful as to enter the realm of paranoia. It's balanced advice and is therefore relevant to the topic.
Hopefully, this clears up any confusion. Cheers and good night...err morning, whatever you call 4AM.

ATnTdude, I don't mean to be brandishing swords or arguing.. Sorry if it seemed that way I just realised that the OP started this topic out of that stupid SMobile article. Had I read that before, I wouldn't have 'split hairs'! My bad :-/

luffyz said:
but when you install the app, it has to display the permission
this application has access to the following:
hardware controls
brick your phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ahhahaha +1

@klausdieter79 Thanks for the link
I also hope it is not included in the regular phone library, I can easilly imagine someone granting this by mistake
Let's wait for someone to upload a one button app named accelerate and the only permission requested will be brick...

P00r said:
@klausdieter79 Thanks for the link
I also hope it is not included in the regular phone library, I can easilly imagine someone granting this by mistake
Let's wait for someone to upload a one button app named accelerate and the only permission requested will be brick...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty much 100% certain you would have to have a rooted ROM for that to work...in which case, you probably know better than to install an app that requests permission to brick your phone

rohandhruva said:
ATnTdude, I don't mean to be brandishing swords or arguing.. Sorry if it seemed that way I just realised that the OP started this topic out of that stupid SMobile article. Had I read that before, I wouldn't have 'split hairs'! My bad :-/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I figured as much. It's all good.

ATnTdude said:
Oh, and don't freak out when that free game you're looking at asks for internet access and your GPS location. It needs that info to serve you ads so it stays free. Don't be paranoid, nobody really cares about you, never mind enough to stalk you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OT, but I would be a little pissed if a developer was wasting my battery with GPS just to serve up targeted ads. There's no reason they couldn't use the much more battery efficient network location for that.

So are we the only carrier who's N3's came without Knox and Chat On pre-installed??

I realize Chat On can easily be downloaded from the playstore, n it's not a huge deal but I was just surprised to not see it pre-installed on a Samsung device. Especially since it was used in the demo so much. I assume this is because Verizon wants u using their message service (keep dreaming verizon), but still none the less surprising to me.
Now onto Knox. Although it's not something I know for sure that I would use, it is also an app that was being promoted very hard as a great new feature. Well where is it first of all? Am I missing something? Like I said Idk if I would wanna use it anyway;but it would sure be nice to have the option to give it a try and decide for myself if it's something I want. Again Verizon, keep dreaming! I don't think any of us want your security services or your messaging app or your navigation! So yes I'm aware I can easily add chat on, but can anyone help with any info on getting Knox app on my phone? I don't think I'll be rooting this phone, for now anyway, so I would like to try Knox just to see what it's about. Any help/info is appreciated guys, thanks.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Ibkevin said:
I realize Chat On can easily be downloaded from the playstore, n it's not a huge deal but I was just surprised to not see it pre-installed on a Samsung device. Especially since it was used in the demo so much. I assume this is because Verizon wants u using their message service (keep dreaming verizon), but still none the less surprising to me.
Now onto Knox. Although it's not something I know for sure that I would use, it is also an app that was being promoted very hard as a great new feature. Well where is it first of all? Am I missing something? Like I said Idk if I would wanna use it anyway;but it would sure be nice to have the option to give it a try and decide for myself if it's something I want. Again Verizon, keep dreaming! I don't think any of us want your security services or your messaging app or your navigation! So yes I'm aware I can easily add chat on, but can anyone help with any info on getting Knox app on my phone? I don't think I'll be rooting this phone, for now anyway, so I would like to try Knox just to see what it's about. Any help/info is appreciated guys, thanks.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sir Knox is already on the phone. It is not an app you can go into. but if you check the services running it is running from all i have read and understand.
You can do a search on your phone and see Knox apps all over the place.. Like 9 diff pieces to it... Thier is a thread on on the parts of it on this forum already

Actually I just found the actual truth about Knox and the Verizon N3, here it is. Yes there is Knox stuff under application manager, and yes Knox is under device administrator's, and actually Yes Knox is an app that can be opened, but NO Knox is NOT currently on the Verizon phone! Screen shots below.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Quite dangerous malware ! especially china phones

http://now.avg.com/malware-is-still-spying-on-you-after-your-mobile-is-off/
Did anybody noticed that phon behaved weirdly sometimes ??

You thinking too much lol

THe sad reality is, because everythning is free, they must make money on personal information and " big data"
THe sad reality is the whole phone is one big spyware. If you look when you install apps you can see what they have permssion too. Also if you read the agreements you can see they basically have access to most of your personal information and photos and contacts. This is the sad reality, unfortunately people do not care or think as much about it.
On PC it is more easy to protect yourself from collection of "big data" with extensions like Privdog in chrome browser, also with more powerful anti-malware programs and firewall which you can control more easy.
But most important of all...you can actually uninstall all apps you do not want, as it is currently you can't delete pre-installed spyware..
Not enough people are investigating the problems cause there is simply to many phones and every phone has it own software.. if everyone would had the same software just as iphone more people would investigate spyware problems...
for a phone like Mate 7 no one will investigate the software... like for instance a samsung s5 which have more users.
One thing I like with Mate 7 though is that you can choose which apps that have internet access... this is very good and powerful... and will help you be more safe if you do not trust a certain app..just block internet access to it.. and the information a certain app collect luckily will stay just locally on your phone.

This is only an issue if you give it root access? If you pay attention to what permissions you give apps then this shouldn't be too big of an issue... Or if you stay non rooted, its a non issue.

gn0s1s said:
This is only an issue if you give it root access? If you pay attention to what permissions you give apps then this shouldn't be too big of an issue... Or if you stay non rooted, its a non issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But u have no idea that pre-installed apps which are already in the phone when you purchase it..
It has nothing to do with root..
Think xiaomi was suspect checking up their users few months back

blackinfinity said:
THe sad reality is, because everythning is free, they must make money on personal information and " big data"
THe sad reality is the whole phone is one big spyware. If you look when you install apps you can see what they have permssion too. Also if you read the agreements you can see they basically have access to most of your personal information and photos and contacts. This is the sad reality, unfortunately people do not care or think as much about it.
On PC it is more easy to protect yourself from collection of "big data" with extensions like Privdog in chrome browser, also with more powerful anti-malware programs and firewall which you can control more easy.
But most important of all...you can actually uninstall all apps you do not want, as it is currently you can't delete pre-installed spyware..
Not enough people are investigating the problems cause there is simply to many phones and every phone has it own software.. if everyone would had the same software just as iphone more people would investigate spyware problems...
for a phone like Mate 7 no one will investigate the software... like for instance a samsung s5 which have more users.
One thing I like with Mate 7 though is that you can choose which apps that have internet access... this is very good and powerful... and will help you be more safe if you do not trust a certain app..just block internet access to it.. and the information a certain app collect luckily will stay just locally on your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2887632/secure-advertising-tool-privdog-compromises-https-security.html
You might want to reconsider using Privdog .....
---------- Post added at 11:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:18 PM ----------
Simona Simmy said:
But u have no idea that pre-installed apps which are already in the phone when you purchase it..
It has nothing to do with root..
Think xiaomi was suspect checking up their users few months back
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does at least in regards to the exploit you are talking about. The article says
The malware affects versions of Android older than v.5 (Lollipop) and requires root permission to hijack the shut down process.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
which means to perform this hijack you need to have root permissions. Unless you mean that they have given special permissions in which pre-installed software has this enabled...but i would ask to what end. There are much easier ways to track user behaviour and collect data, and this would seem to massively impact battery life and phone performance.

gn0s1s said:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2887632/secure-advertising-tool-privdog-compromises-https-security.html
You might want to reconsider using Privdog .....
---------- Post added at 11:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:18 PM ----------
It does at least in regards to the exploit you are talking about. The article says which means to perform this hijack you need to have root permissions. Unless you mean that they have given special permissions in which pre-installed software has this enabled...but i would ask to what end. There are much easier ways to track user behaviour and collect data, and this would seem to massively impact battery life and phone performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well in real world these software manufs smartphone manuf. Microsoft apple china manufs.and others they ALREADY has all info bout ppl looong time ago.. bcos ppl just when register somewhere or buy device auto giving info about themselves .. but they dont use it in harm way,spam way or malware way .
Ppl have enabled sharing location and they already know your position..
Unless someone hack something..

Safely removed bloatware (with root)

I didn't see a discussion yet so figured I'd start one. What files have you safely frozen or removed with root?

km8j said:
I didn't see a discussion yet so figured I'd start one. What files have you safely frozen or removed with root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't plan on rooting, but would love to hear about disabling apps. Have there been any apps you CAN'T disable and keep out of the app drawer?

Facebook, Instagram, T-Mobile apps (kept visual voicemail, device unlock, and hotspot), flipboard, play books magazine music newsstand, hangouts, Google+, calculator. All without problem, make sure to reboot right after removing system apps.
Sent from my SM-G900T using AllianceR(●)m

tenxo said:
Facebook, Instagram, T-Mobile apps (kept visual voicemail, device unlock, and hotspot), flipboard, play books magazine music newsstand, hangouts, Google+, calculator. All without problem, make sure to reboot right after removing system apps.
Sent from my SM-G900T using AllianceR(●)m
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any of the non-obvious named ones? Like ones that are named as com.samsung.....

I wonder why do you guys root this phone. Do you really not care about Samsung Pay? It's one of the most important features and by rooting this device you make it gone forever.

Fokus007 said:
I wonder why do you guys root this phone. Do you really not care about Samsung Pay? It's one of the most important features and by rooting this device you make it gone forever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the obvious answer is: yes, they really don't care about Samsung Pay. It being "the most important feature" is highly up to personal opinion

piccit said:
I think the obvious answer is: yes, they really don't care about Samsung Pay. It being "the most important feature" is highly up to personal opinion
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, and it's not even available until the summer. Definitely the most important thing to me is having full control over my phone, to remove/add what I want!
Sent from my SM-G900T using AllianceR(●)m
---------- Post added at 03:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:26 PM ----------
km8j said:
Any of the non-obvious named ones? Like ones that are named as com.samsung.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There were more like some widgets, and yes some of those named as you said but only one that I specifically new what they were for! I didn't make a list though, probably should have.
Sent from my SM-G900T using AllianceR(●)m

Fokus007 said:
I wonder why do you guys root this phone. Do you really not care about Samsung Pay? It's one of the most important features and by rooting this device you make it gone forever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never again will I use a computer or phone with ads in it. That's my reason. I couldn't care less about Samsung Pay, if it ever exists.

Fokus007 said:
I wonder why do you guys root this phone. Do you really not care about Samsung Pay? It's one of the most important features and by rooting this device you make it gone forever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You do realize that no one knows this for sure bc Samsung Pay isn't even out yet -_-

Fokus007 said:
I wonder why do you guys root this phone. Do you really not care about Samsung Pay? It's one of the most important features and by rooting this device you make it gone forever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not everyone lives in America either... I would be surprised if Samsung pay ever came to Canada.

mrapp said:
Not everyone lives in America either... I would be surprised if Samsung pay ever came to Canada.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
they're probably only interested in deploying in the biggest economy. Canada is like 15th place. speaking from business point of view, probably not worth the effort setting up a bank system with so little money flowing.

Im in the UK. Doubt we will ever see it. Im gonna root. People complain about battery life but those bloatware apps are the biggest battery killers you can get. Facebook, whatsapp, instagram etc

Remove ads on 8.4 with Brevent

As the title states I setup brevent on my phone I was able to remove the lockscreen ads by 'breventing' the "Amazon Offers" system app.
One should also note the brevent takes some effort to start (needs a computer) but it stays on as long as you don't restart your phone.
Instructions:
You will have to go to settings and enable "show all apps"
Lock your phone, swipe away the ad, and voilia. no more ads.
There is a possibility that it may suck your battery... or it may improve it... I'll follow up after a few days

It is a shame that people update their phones before checking to see if they should or not. If you want to root or flash a phone, NEVER update it before researching what the updates do.

yaconsult said:
It is a shame that people update their phones before checking to see if they should or not. If you want to root or flash a phone, NEVER update it before researching what the updates do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea but mistakes happen at times. I bought my blu to be a temp phone until the OnePlus 5 came out... Didn't expect the ads to be so annoying...

ronaldgrn said:
There is a possibility that it may suck your battery... or it may improve it... I'll follow up after a few days
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good news, the battery life is about the same. And maybe it's just my imagination but the phone seems slightly snappier.
For those of us who messed up and updated. This seems like the best option this far.
PS. If it works for you, you should probably donate to the developers of brevent (I am in no way affiliated to them but this has been a lifesaver for me)

ronaldgrn said:
Yea but mistakes happen at times. I bought my blu to be a temp phone until the OnePlus 5 came out... Didn't expect the ads to be so annoying...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Debloater might be a simpler solution. I have not tested this one but a similar app , that I can't find the page for ,
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software/debloater-remove-carrier-bloat-t2998294

mrmazak said:
Debloater might be a simpler solution. I have not tested this one but a similar app , that I can't find the page for ,
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software/debloater-remove-carrier-bloat-t2998294
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Debloater doesn't work anymore.