i've been not as careful with regards to paying attention to app permission requests as i should..
i'm wondering if there's an app out there the would group my apps according to which permissions they have. this way, i can just look at the apps that has critical permissions, and decide if they should be there.
Have you tried PermissionDog?
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.PermissioDog&feature=search_result
And if you're rooted, check out LBP Privacy Guard:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.lbe.security&feature=search_result
Related
Decided to read the permissions my apps grant more closely since I installed some with black?nd trust because I had them on my iPhone.
As you would expect many of these apps such as Pandora had quetionable permissions, ie pandora can send emails anonymously from your device, I'm rooted and all that good stuff so I'm looking for a way to maybe block certain app permissions.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
ertDeath said:
Decided to read the permissions my apps grant more closely since I installed some with black?nd trust because I had them on my iPhone.
As you would expect many of these apps such as Pandora had quetionable permissions, ie pandora can send emails anonymously from your device, I'm rooted and all that good stuff so I'm looking for a way to maybe block certain app permissions.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LBE Privacy.
It's free and shows the specific permissions that apps ask for, and you can accept, reject, or prompt for use when they're requested. I like the prompt option because you can see that most apps don't actually use the permissions they've included. They're probably packages that are included in development for 1 or 2 functions that are completely harmless, but the packages include things that do require permissions. Hence, you need to be told about it.
Only thing about LBE that gets annoying is that it needs you to update permissions for EVERY app that gets updated. I still stick with it though because it is nice to know what's going on with your apps.
Couldn't recommend it enough.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.lbe.security&feature=search_result
I just upgraded my SM-G920I to Marshmallow and now the Theme Store wants Telephone and Contacts permissions. It won't launch unless I give it. Why would the app require such a permission? Galaxy Apps is also demanding access to Contacts. Anybody has any clue?
You could say the same about a lot of apps.
If you haven't discovered it yet, you can now fine control app permissions in MM. Perhaps allow them, get what you want, and revoke them?
I've revoked permissions for so many things on so many apps and everything is still working as it was before... It says a lot
Revoking later means app gets what it wants. If such is the state there is no point in granular permissions. The whole idea was centered around improving privacy and user control.
Hi there,
I am a newbie with Android and smart phones.
As an old-school tech, from Windows 3.0 to Gnu/Linux, I want for long time avoid all GAFAM stuff and keep a bit of privacy and security.
I came across the Exodus site and try to find app with zero tracker and minimum permission.
Do you care about that?
Do you use FOSS apps?
Do you have a list of usual apps that fulfill your need AND privacy?
Any help, advise, list of apps (browser, messaging, files management, maintenance, ...) are welcome.
Thank you
IMHO it doesn't matter where you fetch apps from: F-Droid, Google Play Store, etc.pp.
Apps typically request normal premissions and dangerous permissoins.
Dangerous persmissions are
READ_CALENDAR
WRITE_CALENDAR
CAMERA
READ_CONTACTS
WRITE_CONTACTS
GET_ACCOUNTS
ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
RECORD_AUDIO
READ_PHONE_STATE
READ_PHONE_NUMBERS
CALL_PHONE
ANSWER_PHONE_CALLS
READ_CALL_LOG
WRITE_CALL_LOG
ADD_VOICEMAIL
USE_SIP
PROCESS_OUTGOING_CALLS
BODY_SENSORS
SEND_SMS
RECEIVE_SMS
READ_SMS
RECEIVE_WAP_PUSH
RECEIVE_MMS
READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
and only become activated if user clicks ALLOW to them: so it's on user what permissions can be used by an app.
So-called normal permissions get allowed by default without any user interaction.
jwoegerbauer said:
and only become activated if user clicks ALLOW to them: so it's on user what permissions can be used by an app.
So-called normal permissions get allowed by default without any user interaction.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I you sure only normal permissions get allowed by default without any user interaction? and where can I separately allow or deny them? Is there a place where all these permissions are explained and what I'll block in the app when denied?
What about tracker? Is it possible to deactivate them?
I think trackers are more intrusive than permissions. Am I right?
MrNice said:
I you sure only normal permissions get allowed by default without any user interaction? and where can I separately allow or deny them? Is there a place where all these permissions are explained and what I'll block in the app when denied?
What about tracker? Is it possible to deactivate them?
I think trackers are more intrusive than permissions. Am I right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, only normal permissions get allowed by default, the apps will ask for the rest of them and you can deny them if you want. Also the only way to disable trackers is with aurora appwarden or trackercontrol, but sometimes the apps with disabled trackers could crash.
@MrNice
an app only can track you if it has the related Android permission granted to do so.
The Penguin said:
Also the only way to disable trackers is with aurora appwarden or trackercontrol,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jwoegerbauer said:
an app only can track you if it has the related Android permission granted to do so.
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Click to collapse
Hummm, for me, these 2 sentences look like an oxymoron.
Could you explain?
My last 2 cents here:
An app doesn't have trackers, it only has granted permissions, but an app may behave as tracker - where it doesn't matter whatever it will track - if it got granted the related permissions.
Have a nice day.
I use Karma Firewall to log/see what's accessing the internet and block it if needed.
Many don't need internet access to be functional.
Some of the worst offenders I uninstalled.
Gookill is the worst offender, I keep Google play Services and Playstore disabled 99% of the time.
Some freeware apps are perfect. They do nothing except what they're suppose to do and never attempt internet access; keepers.
Hello Everybody,
I would like to ask a question about Android Apps permissions:
If I deny one permission for a particular App, does that mean the App has zero access to the denied permission?
Or is there a possibility for the App to bypass the permission restriction and access the user Data anyway?
Is our Data really safe and respected by Apps whe we deny certain App permissions?
I would like to have a good understanding about the accuracy of Android Apps permission restrictions.
Please let me know.
Thank you
What permissions an app has is determined by app's developer. These are by default granted, but can get revoked by user - what may lead to fact that app no longer works.
Each app runs in a sandboxed VM therefore basically it only has access to the data tied to it, means app A can never access app's B data. User data like photos, musics, videos etc.pp typically can get accessed by all apps because they aren't specific to an app.
jwoegerbauer said:
What permissions an app has is determined by app's developer. These are by default granted, but can get revoked by user - what may lead to fact that app no longer works.
Each app runs in a sandboxed VM therefore basically it only has access to the data tied to it, means app A can never access app's B data. User data like photos, musics, videos etc.pp typically can get accessed by all apps because they aren't specific to an app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for taking some of your time to explain this to me. I appreciate it.
When we deny/ block certain permissions to apps, how does Android (or iOS) enforce this?
There are two ways of enforcing this setting:
1. System tells the app not to ask for the permission because the user has denied it.
2. App keeps trying to access the particular permission, and the system continuously blocks it.
For example, if we deny location permission to an app, does the app no longer request location access, or does it keep trying to access location and system keeps blocking it?
If method 1 is how it works (and I doubt it), it would be great for performance and battery life.
If method 2 is how it works (and I think this is how it works), then the app would likely continue to drain battery even more than what it would if the permission was granted.
Can someone explain how this works?
Thanks.
TheMystic said:
When we deny/ block certain permissions to apps, how does Android (or iOS) enforce this?
There are two ways of enforcing this setting:
1. System tells the app not to ask for the permission because the user has denied it.
2. App keeps trying to access the particular permission, and the system continuously blocks it.
For example, if we deny location permission to an app, does the app no longer request location access, or does it keep trying to access location and system keeps blocking it?
If method 1 is how it works (and I doubt it), it would be great for performance and battery life.
If method 2 is how it works (and I think this is how it works), then the app would likely continue to drain battery even more than what it would if the permission was granted.
Can someone explain how this works?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The first one if it's update to support the current SDK. App comunicate a request system-level (permission) and ask you to choose.
Granting / revoking permissions is done at app's level and controlled / noted by Android OS:
Permissions on Android | Android Developers
developer.android.com
Keep in mind that once an app has permission to use something, it can do so whenever it wants. While an app might have a legitimate reason for accessing your location, it could also check your location in the background every so often and send that data to advertisers - what will drain battery, of course.