BUSTED! Secret app on millions of phones logs key taps

[Trainwreck2100]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/11/30/smartphone_spying_app/

An Android app developer has published what he says is conclusive proof that millions of smartphones are secretly monitoring the key presses, geographic locations, and received messages of its users.


In a YouTube video posted on Monday, Trevor Eckhart showed how software from a Silicon Valley company known as Carrier IQ recorded in real time the keys he pressed into a stock EVO handset, which he had reset to factory settings just prior to the demonstration. Using a packet sniffer while his device was in airplane mode, he demonstrated how each numeric tap and every received text message is logged by the software.

Carrier IQ tried to sue(strongarm) him, because the ap developer told people how to take it off, but the Electronic Freedom Frontier took up his case and they had to back off.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Yeah, app developers can get away with anything. GPS is used on phones to track your daily movements and indicate your most used routes and where you stop regularly to see patterns in your shopping, diet, and social life.

 

[Trainwreck2100]

the thing that's different about this one is that there's no opt in or out

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

So what programs are effected by this?

 

[random_havoc]

With the iPhone they discovered a while back that you can't opt out of it tracking your movements as well right? So is the big difference here just that now it's with Android? Or does the iPhone not track keystrokes and messages, just location?

 

[Trainwreck2100]

So what programs are effected by this?

there's a video in the link. Keep in mind before the developer showed this he did a full factory reset

With the iPhone they discovered a while back that you can't opt out of it tracking your movements as well right? So is the big difference here just that now it's with Android? Or does the iPhone not track keystrokes and messages, just location?

This certain ap as far as I know is only Adroid

 

[KALEL114]

iOS does use Carrier IQ as well.You can disable it, but you have to be running iOS5.

Story about iPhone/Carrier IQ.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-5...hone-customers-too-hacker-says/?tag=mncol;txt

Way to disable it with iOS 5:
http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39...-carrier-iq-on-your-ios-device/?tag=cnetRiver

Nokia and Blackberry use Carrier IQ as well.

 

[ComicChick]

not cool

 

[Asteroid-Man]

I'm gonna type "**** You Carrier IQ" in as my bbm status.