2/3 of Android Apps Use Private Data Suspiciously

[Vladislaus]

[citation][nom]back_by_demand[/nom]It's perfectly OK for these apps to send personal information without your consent or knowledge to some random server down the other end of the internet.[/citation]These apps send information with the consent and knowledge of the user. Before the app is installed everything that the app will access is show to the user by the OS, so the user has knowledge. If the user accepts it then he gave his consent.

 

[dustcrusher]

[citation][nom]dna_dc[/nom]At least Android creates the opportunity to be transparency... on the other hand, Apple hopes that its advertising and fanboys will make people believe that their information is safe...[/citation]Well said. The real question is not who has the data, it's whom you trust with it. At least Google's spelling it out for us so we can decide if they've crossed the line or not; trusting Apple requires faith at the moment.

As long as the EULA (or to many people "that big long text that I have to click "yes" to) clearly states what can and can't be done with personal info, I see no issue here. If it's vague about what can be done with one's data, then that is a legitimate problem.

 

[eddieroolz]

The trend is disturbing but with the prevalence of advertising in free apps these days, it doesn't come as a surprise.

 

[DjEaZy]

... what else is new?

 

[Guest]

be warn, my FB and Bank of America been compromise ever since I down load the FB & BoA apps

 

[vant]

Ok. I understand advertisements to pay for free apps.

I don't understand why they need my simcard number, my phone number, and my imei of my device.

 

[willgart]

this type of application (used by Intel) should be provided to all the users. and alert like a firewall does when there is unauthorized access to some data.
So even when the users authorize the application to run, he can lock the access to some information stored in the phone.

or we can create a "fake data generator" which produce random data when the app want to get the serial number...

 

[getreal]

[citation][nom]i7Rocks[/nom]So you would prefer a world where a higher power dictates everything you do instead of one that gives you the freedom of choice?? I feel bad for you, just because some devs will abuse the system doesn't mean having an open system is the problem, its called responsability.[/citation]

I feel worse for you, because you can't spell "responsibility".

Uneducated people = the majority of Android users! LOL.

 

[smeker]

Welcome to the world of Google =)

 

[lorddude]

The reason these apps want your SIM and phone number is not to spy on your or call you, it's to see what carrier you're with and if you've ported between carriers, just stat tracking. As for the IMEI it's to see how many of each device is in a specific location. It's all just for market research.

Now if you agree with this kind of research or not is not the main issue here. What's going on is people somehow feel/think that their privacy is being violated. What most people are not realizing is that the OS itself warns you exactly what data is going to be accessed. If you don't want it to collect you SIM, IMEI or phone number and you see the warning, then don't install it. The phone will work without these apps, it's not like you need them.

Now I can't say for sure that Apple is collecting the same data on their customers, I can't imagine they're not, but at the same time there's no one that can say they aren't either. So bashing a OS that offers transparency with it's data collecting over an OS that just makes you assume what it's doing (or not doing) is just ridicules

 

[Dirtman73]

Google sucks regardless of whether or not this is their fault.

 

[reddragon72]

[citation][nom]Smochina[/nom]What freedom of choice does Google give to you? The freedom to pirate the applications you should pay for? And install applications that steal your private data? That's your freedom?And you still wonder why developers aren't crowded at Android's door. BECAUSE THEY STARVE TO DEATH WITH ANDROID.[/citation]

And what is Jailbreak??? You can jailbreak an Iphone and with no other purpose then to load up apps you didn't pay for.

I said it once and I'll say it again. Those that love there Iphones and like the idea of living with what is given to you by a person that feels that you should only get this or that are screwed in the head. You trash talk all the time, but we all know it's only because of the decision you made and your upset about it.

Also I would like to point out that all over the internet all reporting agencies are showing a rise in Android sales and Android market sales. So your whole Developers starving to death is very obsolete.

Good day....

 

[reddragon72]

[citation][nom]obiown77[/nom]GOOGLE = C.I.A[/citation]

What a dumb statement. The CIA does not run internal affairs inside the US, the FBI does.

And for a bit more info the CIA would not use one particular cell phone maker or provider, they goto the source which is phone and phone OS independent.

 

[reddragon72]

To tell the truth, I wouldn't be one bit surprised if Apple had something to do with this. Everyone has seen the latest data coming out of all the firms and they all point towards Android catching Apple within a year. Something that has Job and company running scared and pulling out all the little stops.

Next thing you know there will be pics on the net of Andy(Android) stealing candy from a baby. And we all know that it'll be Job's ol'boy himself wearing the Andy suit.

 

[back_by_demand]

[citation][nom]Vladislaus[/nom]These apps send information with the consent and knowledge of the user. Before the app is installed everything that the app will access is show to the user by the OS, so the user has knowledge. If the user accepts it then he gave his consent.[/citation]
Because of course everyone reads in detail the 600 page EULA with the section that says they will monitor your wherabouts more closely than the authorities monitor suspected terrorists.
Riiiight.....
Just because they tell you what they are doing, makes it OK right?

The possibilities for abuse are endless and people are so enraptured by Google that they dont see the danger inherant.

It hasn't happened yet, but the next big one will be an App on the smartphone or tablet that states in the install agreement that the vendor reserves the right to remotely access the camera. Then videos of children getting naked start flying around.
OK, am I scaremongering? Maybe.
But if it was your kids your would go ape****.

If I had to choose between Google and my kids safety?
Screw Google.

 

[long2know]

[citation][nom]otacon72[/nom]Watching the Android funboys is almost as entertaining as the Apple funboys. I'll stick with my BlackBerry...lol The arguement well at least Google is telling you what's it doing with your data....hahaha priceless.[/citation]
I find the response from the Apple and Blackberry "funboys" more entertaining for sure.

The funnier thing is how the title of this article is a bit misleading. The title, in bold print, implies that 2/3 of all Android apps fall into this category. Only 30 applications were tested. And the article ISN'T even about Android specifically. It has broader reaching implications.

It's obvious by most of the responses here (including Marcus Yam's initial article) that most people did not read the research/study findings. The study has LITTLE to do with Android and MUCH to do about how ALL mobile phones use the data in general. To quote the study:

"While some mobile phone operating systems allow
users to control applications’ access to sensitive information,
such as location sensors, camera images, and contact
lists, users lack visibility into how applications use
their private data."

Since Android is an open platform, the researchers were able to make a special program called TaintDroid to not only perform their research, but to also allow END USERS to monitor how programs are using their sensitive data. Who knows if this sort of monitoring is even possibly with RIM, Apple, or Microsoft mobile platforms?

TaintDroid addresses these short comings on Android.

 

[long2know]

[citation][nom]back_by_demand[/nom]Because of course everyone reads in detail the 600 page EULA with the section ..[/citation]
There is no 600 page EULA. It is much simpler than that with a concise list of items the program will have access to. It takes all of 5 seconds to peruse this list and choose whether or not you want this program to have access. If you don't want to give it access, you don't install/run said program.

If an app that has no business accessing your private information such as phone number, IMEI, contact list, etc, the owness SHOULD be on the end-user to question why it needs access.

 

[long2know]

I also wonder why Tom's didn't publish this article with the following headline:

iPhone users more exposed to risk than Android users

http/www.safeinternet.org/blog/mobile-privacy-concerns-your-phones-app-spying-you

Oh wait, I know why ... They love Apple and want to flame Android. Nothing new there.

 

[the_ordinary_guy]

@otacon72: Couldn't agree more with you. Being a BlackBerry fanboy (I will probably get flame) and having written apps for the BlackBerry, I have to say that RIM does a pretty good job in terms of security control.

You are free to write and load apps on a BlackBerry, but the moment your app requires any over the air data connection/encrpytion/carrier specific features, you will have to pay either (or combination of) RIM/Certicom/or Carrier, for a set of signing keys to sign your apps or it will not run on the device.

In other words, anything suspicious that you do with your apps can be traced back to you.

 

[mayne92]

[citation][nom]getreal[/nom]LOL, I love the excuse train! Clearly not Android's fault that it doesn't have any kind of checks to prevent this crap, LOL. WHAT A JOKE! You trash Apple for its strict policies, but it is those same policies that prevent this nonsense.Just goes to show that "free" isn't really free and how flawed an "open market" really is.[/citation]
Well, seeing how you don't know jack about jack...you fall into the category of...less said, look better. Do you not think that this information is to see statistics on users so the developer learns how to better suit the customers, what do you think is going to happen??? Some spammer going to call you at 8pm at night? LOL. Open market flawed? Wow miss, you clearly don't know jack! 😛. It is the users that are flawed.

[citation]I feel worse for you, because you can't spell "responsibility".

Uneducated people = the majority of Android users! LOL.[/citation]
So because of misspelling of "responsibility" you degrade the integrity of the person's comment? You there have the mentality of about a 15 year old...I may be giving you too much credit with that. Grow up some...