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Software on Android phones tracking every key stroke, web sites, location and more!

edited December 2011 in Off-Topic
Researchers have found that many Android and some other smart phones are coming up with a rootkit made by a company called Carrier-IQ. It is installed by the phone manufacturer or phone company and cannot be removed without full firmware update of the phone (with firmware that does not include this software of course).

Rootkit is an intrusive software that runs with extreme privileges while avoiding detection. Here is the definition of rootkit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit

Today there are some media coverage (very high level):

http://www.tgdaily.com/security-features/59944-secret-key-logging-software-found-on-millions-of-phones
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2011/11/30/phone-rootkit-carrier-iq-may-have-violated-wiretap-law-in-millions-of-cases/
http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/mobile/232200532

Here are full details from researchers site:

http://androidsecuritytest.com.nyud.net/features/logs-and-services/loggers/carrieriq/carrieriq-part2/

As always, when such hush hush stuff is made public, the researcher is threatened by the company with a lawsuit to keep it quiet:

http://informationweek.com/news/security/mobile/232200381

Comments

  • edited December 2011
    Hi Investor,

    I saw this, this morning, too; but had to get going on work.

    This YouTube link, may be handy for some for watching and listen as to what is happening.



    Thank you and take care,
    Catch
  • Reply to @Investor: Thank you for heads up. That's another reason NOT to do financial transaction with Android OS phones. Do you know if Blackberry OS has the same fault?
  • Reply to @Sven: Blackberry maker Research In Motion (RIM) claims they do not have such software.
  • Reply to @Investor: thank you.
  • Reply to @Sven: Still, it is not clear if Wireless carrier where you got your phone has installed the software. Everyone is pointing the fingers everyone else.

    http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/02/technology/carrier_iq/index.htm?iid=HP_River
  • Reply to @Investor: We are planning to get iPhone with Verizon once our contract is up sometime next year. For now we only have voice plan with those cheap clamp shell phones.
  • If you have not seen the movie, check your local library or your favorite source.
    The context of this very short scene is not fully related.....and I will not detail more; if you have not viewed the movie.
    But, a few of the words have true meaning, eh?

  • Another article on Forbes questioning potential usage of collected data by Carrier IQ by FBI for surveillance.

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/12/13/is-the-fbi-using-carrier-iq-for-domestic-surveillance/
  • edited December 2011
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  • I'm sure all of this is legal....FBI, etc.; per sub-section 27, of paragraph 6, under the "other uses" definition of the "Patriot Act", as revised and extended.
  • Reply to @catch22: Hey, don't pick on Maurice.. just because his guys gave us the "Patriot" Act (pretty cute, that: if you don't agree with it's provisions then by definition you ain't a patriot) doesn't mean that he likes it. You do gotta give that bunch credit for some pretty cool names, though. That, they can do, but not much else.
  • Hi OJ,

    Now, you better keep in mind that "we" are still track'in which books you check from the library; heck we're track'in every book you buy, too. Gotta keep a list of who may be reading conspiracy type books; you know, we never know who to trust. Them recent protester types are easy enough, as all we have to do is watch the news and we have all the faces of those folks and then run those through the image recognition program....presto, bango....done. As to the older folks who can't make it to the rally..........well, if you're read'in the "wrong" books; we at least know what your old minds may be a'think'in.

    Lastly, our dept. will close with this final thought......"Not all conspiracies are therory".

    We wish you a pleasant evening and a restful sleep knowing we are always on the job; and if we can't be there in our chairs, the computers will be working the night shift for us.

    Your fellow patriot.
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  • edited December 2011
    As I said above, "if you don't agree with it's provisions then by definition you ain't a patriot". When your people frame a proposition in that sort of demagoguery, very few politicians have the courage to vote nay, as they will be well and truly crucified by the Gingriches and Limbaughs of our nation. I'm with Mr. Paul on this one.
  • Howdy Old_Joe,

    Now I wasn't picking on Maurice.........as the note was not a direct reply. Just a broad overview of "careful what one wishes for". As a form of "power" from the "I know something you don't know" and the inability for congress folks to actually read a long piece of legislation and/or actually understand the ramifications going forward, too much legislation gets the vote.
    On the other hand, too many citizens don't want to know and/or can not understand or simply don't care..... the nature of such legislative acts.

    The TSA doing pat-downs of 90 year olds and 12 year old girls (whom we have taught for years, that if a stranger is messing with you or inappropriate touching; start screaming "you're not may dad" or such); but the gov't and agencies blow all of this out of the water.

    We live inside of a very broken social system.

    Regards,
    Catch
  • edited December 2011
    Reply to @catch22: I hope you don't actually imply that it is OK for 12 year old girls to be touched by Dad at inappropriate places... I know you did not mean that. I'm messing up with you.

    Having said that, I am OK with TSA screening 90 year olds as well as kids. Having a non-checked class of group allows bad guys to recruit from that group (or arrange things arranged to be carried by them). Giving consistent and predictable exceptions to rules render the rule ineffective.
  • Reply to @Investor: Thank you. Lots of concerned customers out there based on the comments of the second article.

    Awhile back you mentioned you are planning to move up to iPhone4? Has this affected you decision? We are thinking to upgrade in 2012 to iPhone with Verizon.
  • I am still waiting for my wife's contract with T-Mobile to expire before we make a move.

    Right now IPhone 4S is at AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. Verizon plan seems to be the most expensive, while Sprint seems to be the cheapest for my needs. One thing to consider is that with Sprint or Verizon you cannot use 3G Data while having a voice call due to network technology limitations.

    There is also corporate discounts. I will probably get AT&T iPhone 4S.

    I am more comfortable with iPhone as opposed to other smart phones as Apple is the one that controls the software and they have responded favorably in this incident. For other Smart Phones, the carrier phone company has more pull and I hold the phone company responsible for inclusion.
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