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There’s a new threat in town. And by town, I mean China. Malware authors have created a bit of code called Geinimi that hitchhikes on existing apps when they are redistributed on third-party markets. At the moment it doesn’t do much but lurk, but its capabilities resemble that of a botnet server, according to Lookout, a company that makes antivirus software for Android.
So far the code has been identified as being able to send out your location, IMEI, app list, and to download apps. There could be more. Users outside of China are apparently at little risk, and at any rate your security is in your own hands: if you’re downloading a to-do list app and it wants access to your GPS and calling functions, that’s probably bogus.
Stay safe out there, kids.
Not to sure if this has been posted or not.
This is very disturbing...anything to get info on people..
I don't install antiviruses on my phone,because android is based on linux, and linux doesn't have viruses because of the strong kernel, plus its semi possible that you will have a virus on your phone.:thumbup:
Sent from my GT-S5660 using xda premium
Octane70 said:
There’s a new threat in town. And by town, I mean China. Malware authors have created a bit of code called Geinimi that hitchhikes on existing apps when they are redistributed on third-party markets. At the moment it doesn’t do much but lurk, but its capabilities resemble that of a botnet server, according to Lookout, a company that makes antivirus software for Android.
So far the code has been identified as being able to send out your location, IMEI, app list, and to download apps. There could be more. Users outside of China are apparently at little risk, and at any rate your security is in your own hands: if you’re downloading a to-do list app and it wants access to your GPS and calling functions, that’s probably bogus.
Stay safe out there, kids.
Not to sure if this has been posted or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not a new threat, lookouts announcement of it was in 2010 and in 2011 it was picked up by more press but is actually a two year old threat which afaik never did cause any problems but is checked for by google and therefore probably other app distributors.
Dave
( http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAownKXmAQ/bigfatuniverse )
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
I hear Android 5 (JellyBean) includes some kind of in-built malware protection.
Gotta wonder why...
Sent from my unrooted DroidX using Tapatalk
Nate2 said:
I hear Android 5 (JellyBean) includes some kind of in-built malware protection.
Gotta wonder why...
Sent from my unrooted DroidX using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not heard that, would be surprised if it did as google use bouncer to combat the malware problem.
Dave
( http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAownKXmAQ/bigfatuniverse )
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
Pancakes_Gio said:
I don't install antiviruses on my phone,because android is based on linux, and linux doesn't have viruses because of the strong kernel, plus its semi possible that you will have a virus on your phone.:thumbup:
Sent from my GT-S5660 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wrong in many ways, it doesn't have viruses because the market is next to non-existent and getting a virus on an android device is more and more common.
Welp, as they say. Only install from trusted sources and always check the permissions the apps ask for. If you don't want the risk, go buy an Apple product and play by their rules. These are the risks that open-source brings and one that all of us bears in mind when tinkering with such power.
z33dev33l said:
Wrong in many ways, it doesn't have viruses because the market is next to non-existent and getting a virus on an android device is more and more common.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually linux does have them, see http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware for some examples.
Linux has few simply because it tends to get patched quicker. Malware on android devices will increase more this year as its the most used mobile os and so offers more potential victims which makes it a more enticing prospect for hackers.
Dave
( http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAownKXmAQ/bigfatuniverse )
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
That and there's no real security built-in to android and it's the easiest one to pirate apps on. I personally believe the people trying to get the apps free deserve the viruses though. Does the patching have to do with the Linux distro or the kernel? Serious question as I know little about Linux malware and only briefly used Linux.
i know kernels get patched, i think distros do as well.
alpha-niner64 said:
If you don't want the risk, go buy an Apple product
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're joking, right? TLDR: How do you think jailbreaking is possible if Apple is so secure? Indeed, it's the false confidence that comes from them telling users that it's so secure that's precipitated so many of the blunders.
z33dev33l said:
That and there's no real security built-in to android and it's the easiest one to pirate apps on. I personally believe the people trying to get the apps free deserve the viruses though. Does the patching have to do with the Linux distro or the kernel? Serious question as I know little about Linux malware and only briefly used Linux.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kernel gets updated with patches but individual distributions also get system patches or did a few years ago when I last used linux.
I'm curious why you think there's no security built into android, as can be seen at http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/security/security.html there are a number of security measures in place.
Dave
( http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAownKXmAQ/bigfatuniverse )
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
Use your brain for security
All the android malware reports I have ever read are just scare tactics used by various news agencys, blogs, etc to generate more views for their site. Almost all android malware can be avoided by simply being smart with where and what you download. Using iOS doesn't make you safe; downloading well known apps from the play store that only use permissions that are appropriate for its described functionality makes you safe.
z33dev33l said:
That and there's no real security built-in to android and it's the easiest one to pirate apps on. I personally believe the people trying to get the apps free deserve the viruses though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree 120% with you, cheating people's hard work will get you burnt!
Sent from my HTC Wildfire S A510b using xda premium
Ashmere69 said:
I agree 120% with you, cheating people's hard work will get you burnt!
Sent from my HTC Wildfire S A510b using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. Buy the app and you don't have to worry about it. Besides, it's not like these apps are fifty bucks each. Pay a couple of dollars and support the ecosyste
I think some of the real culprits to an evil Android is self-awareness on the handset, they always seem to delete and corrupt your stuff before you know it, but yeah, bootlegs are not good at all.
Octane70 said:
There’s a new threat in town. And by town, I mean China. Malware authors have created a bit of code called Geinimi that hitchhikes on existing apps when they are redistributed on third-party markets. At the moment it doesn’t do much but lurk, but its capabilities resemble that of a botnet server, according to Lookout, a company that makes antivirus software for Android.
So far the code has been identified as being able to send out your location, IMEI, app list, and to download apps. There could be more. Users outside of China are apparently at little risk, and at any rate your security is in your own hands: if you’re downloading a to-do list app and it wants access to your GPS and calling functions, that’s probably bogus.
Stay safe out there, kids.
Not to sure if this has been posted or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Eek!
iPhone doesn't have this problem...
L33t Masta said:
iPhone doesn't have this problem...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Think again.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using Tapatalk 2
http://m.bgr.com/2011/09/01/htc-sensation-and-evo-3d-revealed-to-be-spying-on-users/
Enjoy
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
I saw that. Hahahahaha......
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA Premium App
And of course this extra data counts against usage, I'm sure.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
Lame news
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
If they can't access my personal items, I could care less.
Sucks for them. Although we had GoToMyPC on ours? WTH?
As much as I love android I have always said don't be surprised if Google is in bed with big brother... so all you HTC owners... who got porn on their phone...lmao
meh...
You're a fool if you think your smartphone isn't sending information about you to big brother. You have a tracking device on you whenever you have a phone with a battery in it - be in on or off. NEVER think your conversations are private. Never think you location isn't known.
that explains it
dkb218 said:
You're a fool if you think your smartphone isn't sending information about you to big brother. You have a tracking device on you whenever you have a phone with a battery in it - be in on or off. NEVER think your conversations are private. Never think you location isn't known.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its not that the g2x gps is poor due to LG's inability to program android. they actually broke it on purpose so we wouldnt be tracked . thansk LG.
eagle1967 said:
its not that the g2x gps is poor due to LG's inability to program android. they actually broke it on purpose so we wouldnt be tracked . thansk LG.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha and running cm7 its even worse right lol
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
eagle1967 said:
its not that the g2x gps is poor due to LG's inability to program android. they actually broke it on purpose so we wouldnt be tracked . thansk LG.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahhh LG = Less Government. I approve.
Sent from my LG G2x
dkb218 said:
You're a fool if you think your smartphone isn't sending information about you to big brother. You have a tracking device on you whenever you have a phone with a battery in it - be in on or off. NEVER think your conversations are private. Never think you location isn't known.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree but also say "who cares?" I don't do anything illegal. Track me all you want big brother! ;-)
Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk
r4d14n7 said:
I agree but also say "who cares?" I don't do anything illegal. Track me all you want big brother! ;-)
Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately this is the prevailing mindset in America today. We disregard our inalienable right to privacy by saying "spy away gov't, I'm not hiding anything!". It sets up a precedent which marginalizes the demand for privacy, desensitizing everyone from this right. Then, anyone who demands privacy appears to be hiding something when in reality, Uncle Sam has no goddamned business prying in my affairs without probable cause whether or not I am breaking the law.
Sent from my LG G2x
TJBunch1228 said:
Unfortunately this is the prevailing mindset in America today. We disregard our inalienable right to privacy by saying "spy away gov't, I'm not hiding anything!". It sets up a precedent which marginalizes the demand for privacy, desensitizing everyone from this right. Then, anyone who demands privacy appears to be hiding something when in reality, Uncle Sam has no goddamned business prying in my affairs without probable cause whether or not I am breaking the law.
Sent from my LG G2x
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can't catch **** before it happens and want total privacy, doesn't work. Most Americans don't want tragedy to strike again, and this is why the American Gov't must impose this and that to make sure they cover themselves. Heaven forbid a day come where we see Pearl 9/11 2.0 and the government had the technology to prevent it, but didn't because it would "impose on the rights of the people".
Spy away... keep America safe. Simple logic, don't want something on your phone compromised? Don't keep it on your phone.
mr2324jgf said:
You can't catch **** before it happens and want total privacy, doesn't work. Most Americans don't want tragedy to strike again, and this is why the American Gov't must impose this and that to make sure they cover themselves. Heaven forbid a day come where we see Pearl 9/11 2.0 and the government had the technology to prevent it, but didn't because it would "impose on the rights of the people".
Spy away... keep America safe. Simple logic, don't want something on your phone compromised? Don't keep it on your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is also your inalienable right to be irrevocably, unapologetically wrong.
Sent from my LG G2x
mr2324jgf said:
You can't catch **** before it happens and want total privacy, doesn't work. Most Americans don't want tragedy to strike again, and this is why the American Gov't must impose this and that to make sure they cover themselves. Heaven forbid a day come where we see Pearl 9/11 2.0 and the government had the technology to prevent it, but didn't because it would "impose on the rights of the people".
Spy away... keep America safe. Simple logic, don't want something on your phone compromised? Don't keep it on your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry. I despise the whole 'if you have nothing to hide' BS. The government now wants to operate with privacy from the people but wants to deny our INALIENABLE right to not be spied upon ourselves. This is in complete and total opposition to the way things should be.
America sucks.....wait, sorry, its the people that run America that suck and make it suck for everyone else. The true sheep trust Washington .....pfft.
Its a shame America is no longer for Americans. I have faith in our system, its the people that run it I have no faith in. Start speaking Chinese people, we may become the united states of China
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
In order to prevent terrorism, freedoms must be bent. Fact of life in today's world. I understand the counterargument. It's just my choice to give up some of my freedoms to prevent terrorism. And I already have less freedoms than most of you as I'm an active duty US Military member.
This is basically an argument that no one can win, but it's always interesting to read others' opinions.
r4d14n7 said:
In order to prevent terrorism, freedoms must be bent. Fact of life in today's world. I understand the counterargument. It's just my choice to give up some of my freedoms to prevent terrorism. And I already have less freedoms than most of you as I'm an active duty US Military member.
This is basically an argument that no one can win, but it's always interesting to read others' opinions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was active duty military.
This is still BS.
What happens when every 10 years or so we give up just a little bit more of our freedoms for a false sense of security? Just a little more. I'm willing to give up just a little more. Repeat...and repeat....and repeat. Next thing you know they're all gone and your country has become a military state with little to no freedom of any kind. All for the sake of protecting the people, of course. Why don't we just take away everyone's ability to choose anything while we're at it. Then they'll be so much easier to manage and keep safe.
Freedoms should never be bent to protect freedom..
Not really belonging in the G2X forum
http://www.computerworld.com/s/arti..._malware_op_may_have_infected_5_million_users
Computerworld - The largest-ever Android malware campaign may have duped as many as 5 million users into downloading infected apps from Google's Android Market, Symantec said today.
Dubbed "Android.Counterclank" by Symantec, the malware was packaged in 13 different apps from three different publishers, with titles ranging from "Sexy Girls Puzzle" to "Counter Strike Ground Force." Many of the infected apps were still available on the Android Market as of 3 p.m. ET Friday.
Edit:Credit for this goes to Gio from The Collective.
Thanks for heads up Tx!
Sent from my HTC Vivid using XDA app
Some say the Android Market isn't safe, but the problem are the users themselves, people just download any app from the Market thinking they are safe...
it's just like going tho the supermarket and not looking at expiration dates in food, then going home and getting diarrhea because you ate something rotten. hahaha
And that's only from the Android Market, imagine the people who install hacked apps and stuf..
mateusm said:
Some say the Android Market isn't safe, but the problem are the users themselves, people just download any app from the Market thinking they are safe...
it's just like going tho the supermarket and not looking at expiration dates in food, then going home and getting diarrhea because you ate something rotten. hahaha
And that's only from the Android Market, imagine the people who install hacked apps and stuf..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that Google should do a better job of scanning/screening apps before they're released for mass consumption. This should be the first line of defense, but as you stated, it ultimately comes down to the end user being smart about what they install.
Agreed. It all comes back to why we get irritated at some new users posting when they have a problem and post before looking for the answer.......they dont want to read. Good practice would be to read the reviews before downloading.
Sent from my HTC Vivid using XDA app
http://www.noticeorange.com/StoryBo...RpY2VvcmFuZ2VyDQsSBFNpdGUY2pTyFww&font_size=9
Maybe premature
Sent from my CM7 Nightly HTC Desire HD
That ****ing sucks. There's always an asshole out there trying to **** **** up.
bluizzo said:
http://www.noticeorange.com/StoryBo...RpY2VvcmFuZ2VyDQsSBFNpdGUY2pTyFww&font_size=9
Maybe premature
Sent from my CM7 Nightly HTC Desire HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I don't know where Lookout gets their information about not calling it malware but according to wikipedia
Malware, short for malicious software, is software (or script or code) designed to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems. It is a general term used to describe any kind of software or code specifically designed to exploit a computer, or the data it contains, without consent.[1] The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But that sounds exactly like what this software is. And I have seen it before on my phone. It doesn't matter how careful you are even if you do read the reviews on the market. I had a free game called Bocce Ball. It had great reviews. Had it for many months. Then one day it wouldn't work unless I updated it. Low and behold I had notifications pushed to my notification bar, my homepage was hijacked, and I had search icons on my homescreen.
There lies why apple may be superior and I hate to admit it. It actually is in control of everything that gets posted on it's market. And with the variety of OS versions out there for android, Android is starting to look like Windows more and more everyday.
People will download anything these days..
Sent from my Inspire 4G CM7 using Tapatalk
psych0naut said:
That ****ing sucks. There's always an asshole out there trying to **** **** up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is your one and only warning. That type of language has no place here.
Now to remain on topic. Things like this will always happen. Same with PC. If you are not careful then you get a virus. Learn to be careful and your good.
suggestions? use avg?
willwoodham0526 said:
suggestions? use avg?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best advice is use common sense. Read all permissions before installing and only install apps from the official marketplaces. Anti virus software really are pointless.!
I use webroot secure anywhere, it works very well.
jimcasey1768 said:
I use webroot secure anywhere, it works very well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And how did you come to that conclusion? Did it actually catch something? Or the fact that it didn't you presume you are clean?
Tx Redneck said:
... the malware was packaged ... with titles ranging from "Sexy Girls Puzzle" to "Counter Strike Ground Force."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gee. I wonder who their target audience is. Oversexed, impulsive teenage to twenty-something boys, perhaps?
Yeah, if you ask me, "Sexy Girls Puzzle" just screams malware.
that sucks man, thank you for the warning!
The Library of Congress has ruled that the DMCA jailbreak exemption it's granting for smartphones will not apply to tablets. They are also not granting a DMCA unlock exemption for phones purchased after January 2013. Carrier permission will be required to legally unlock those phones. The new DMCA exemption rulings go into effect on October 28 and will last three years.
Source: Library of Congress
Via: Timothy B. Lee (Ars Technica)
I find this incredibly arbitrary and nonsensical. Will this make it legal to root a Galaxy S phone but not a Galaxy Player, or to jailbreak an iPhone but not an iPod touch? What about phablets like the Galaxy Note, phones like the Asus Padfone which dock into a tablet shell, or tablets that can make standard voice calls (international 7" Galaxy tab)? When carriers implement voice over LTE, regular voice calls will be done over IP. What then will be the distinction between a phone and a tablet or media player with a VOIP app?
This is ridiculous.
Jailbreaking is different from rooting. I think we should be safe
Sent from my DROID2 using xda premium
Relevant text from the ruling
37 CFR Part 201 said:
Wireless telephone handsets – software interoperability
Computer programs that enable wireless telephone handsets to
execute lawfully obtained software applications, where
circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling
interoperability of such applications with computer programs
on the telephone handset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
More info: pages 12-16 of source link
37 CFR Part 201 said:
Wireless telephone handsets – interoperability with alternative
networks
Computer programs, in the form of firmware or software, that
enable a wireless telephone handset originally acquired from
the operator of a wireless telecommunications network or
retailer no later than ninety days after the effective date of this
exemption to connect to a different wireless
telecommunications network, if the operator of the wireless
communications network to which the handset is locked has
failed to unlock it within a reasonable period of time following
a request by the owner of the wireless telephone handset, and
when circumvention is initiated by the owner, an individual
consumer, who is also the owner of the copy of the computer
program in such wireless telephone handset, solely in order to
connect to a different wireless telecommunications network,
and such access to the network is authorized by the operator of
the network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
More info: pages 16-21 of source link
gagdude said:
Jailbreaking is different from rooting. I think we should be safe
Sent from my DROID2 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ruling does appear to apply to rooting as well as jailbreaking, judging by a response the EFF made during the comment period. http://www.copyright.gov/1201/2012/responses/eff_response_letter_regarding_exemption_5.pdf
As you can see in the above post, the actual text of the exemption doesn't use the term "jailbreak."
Jailbreaking and rooting is one and the same thing, however those guys do not know s**t about tech I guess.
Not allowing unlocking of phones is not cool, now companies can sue devs who create softwares to unlock cell phones, maybe even carriers pitch in and not allow you to run an unlocked tmo gs3 on at&t, this is BS, it's my device people, I can do what I want to ....
No need to worry.
We don't use ITunes.
They are their worse enemies.
How many people knew about mp3's until they went after Napster in a public way? The vast majority of Iphone users have no idea what Jailbreak means but they will soon:laugh:
droiduzr2 said:
No need to worry.
We don't use ITunes.
They are their worse enemies.
How many people knew about mp3's until they went after Napster in a public way? The vast majority of Iphone users have no idea what Jailbreak means but they will soon:laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ruling affects rooting on Android. It isn't iOS specific and has nothing to do with iTunes.
Does this mean that Android sites will have to stop posting articles on how to root tablets? Will discussions about rooting Android tablets become verboten on the forums soon?
First of all, I already had a thread about this.
Anyway, if there is a Mod reading this, will xda stop talking about rooting tablets soon?
Jailbreak does not equal root. We don't need to worry but if you own and iPad you're screwed
Sent from my Droid using xda premium
x10knight said:
First of all, I already had a thread about this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This thread was posted 17 hours and 48 minutes before yours.
gagdude said:
Jailbreak does not equal root. We don't need to worry but if you own and iPad you're screwed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you read the actual text of the ruling that I quoted in my second post and think about carrier and manufacturer modifications that can lock an Android device down?
Slinkwyde said:
This thread was posted 17 hours and 48 minutes before yours.
Did you read the actual text of the ruling that I quoted in my second post and think about carrier and manufacturer modifications that can lock an Android device down?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude I don't care, jailbreaking and rooting are different things, so different in fact that if they say doing x to a product is illegal that the x does not also apply to the other form of hacking on the other OS
Sent from my Droid using xda premium
What about circumventing locked bootloaders to load a custom ROM?
Slinkwyde said:
What about circumventing locked bootloaders to load a custom ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, but remember when iPod touches were first coming out and people were jailbreaking them anyways? And everyone was just like "no ones gonna catch us."
Well same situation. Give the finger to the government and root and jailbreak anyways
Sent from my DROID2 using xda premium
That's what most of us will do. Any Android device I get will be rooted.
Tappin' and talkin' with Tapatalk.
gagdude said:
OK, but remember when iPod touches were first coming out and people were jailbreaking them anyways? And everyone was just like "no ones gonna catch us."
Well same situation. Give the finger to the government and root and jailbreak anyways
Sent from my DROID2 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I doubt it will actually stop many people jailbreaking. A few devs might not be so forthright about what they have made etc, but I doubt too much will happen.
Sent from my HTC Incredible S using Tapatalk 2
vizzy said:
I doubt it will actually stop many people jailbreaking. A few devs might not be so forthright about what they have made etc, but I doubt too much will happen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe -
But what will happen to XDA? What about cellunlocker.net and services like that?
I gotta say, I'm worried.
From what I understand is just the carriers cring about people messing with radios and getting sim unlocks without them getting profit(unlock codes). So I guess rooting and costom Roma should be fine, but no s-off, radios.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
Jailbreaking is practically the same thing as rooting. Both involve granting r/w access to a partition that was not intended to be overwritten from factory.
I think it is time to for xda to go underground and start to not give crap about legality!
Good news for those exporting stock unlocked devices I suppose.
http://bgr.com/2013/08/02/fbi-android-microphone-hack/
Anyone know how this works or how to block it?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
umm wow. that is crazy
I know right. I had no idea something like this was possible.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
How the hell could google decline to comment?!?! This story needs to blow up big time and make google have to respond!
Bomb bomb terrorist attack paroxide jihaad president ala Iran Jew plot bin laden Arabian afganistan ...bla bla bla 911 77 government Cameron Obama explosive detonator kill kidnap ....
I wonder if my mic has been switched on?
As long as NSA does not also have this capability I'm ok. FBI still has to get a warrant to spy on someone like this similar to getting a phone tap.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
FBI still has to get a warrant
curiousbob said:
As long as NSA does not also have this capability I'm ok. FBI still has to get a warrant to spy on someone like this similar to getting a phone tap.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And elves live in my garden too.
The government does what ever it wants. The Constitution has become no more than a speedbump to government employees.
anyone?
Any developers have actual thoughts on this question? If the FBI can do it, it stands to reason that anyone can do it. It would be good to know if this exploit can be blocked by root users.
Surprised that XDAers don't want to figure this one out.
Pretty conformist for a site for custom software.
evilmrt said:
Surprised that XDAers don't want to figure this one out.
Pretty conformist for a site for custom software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you know someone is not already working on it? You have to understand that this type of coding would be system wide and hidden very well. It may very well take an entire re-write of the whole OS to remove. Also this is not a custom software site. It is a site to help people learn to do things on their own.
zelendel said:
How do you know someone is not already working on it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'd know better than I would. Are they?
evilmrt said:
You'd know better than I would. Are they?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't know any more then you as I am not working on it. This is something that would be kept close to the chest as the min it was released it would be patched. Mainly now that they are using free lance hackers to look for exploits.
Wayne Tech Nexus
It has to be switched on somewhere. Even if it is system wide...
Htm.... I wonder how much Apple paid for this article....
Sent from my SGH-I337 using xda premium
X10D3 said:
It has to be switched on somewhere. Even if it is system wide...
Htm.... I wonder how much Apple paid for this article....
Sent from my SGH-I337 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty sure Apple has the same thing built into iOS.
edit:
@jcase might be able to give some insight as to how hard this would be to circumvent,
I would think you'd need a kernel level manual override of drivers where x driver cannot be activated under any circumstance unless you manually allow it, kind of like asking for SU permissions, then you use a third party dialer that you personally coded or something of the sort.
I mean you'd basically have to go through the AOSP code line by line I would think to actually locate this.
orangekid said:
Pretty sure Apple has the same thing built into iOS.
edit:
@jcase might be able to give some insight as to how hard this would be to circumvent,
I would think you'd need a kernel level manual override of drivers where x driver cannot be activated under any circumstance unless you manually allow it, kind of like asking for SU permissions, then you use a third party dialer that you personally coded or something of the sort.
I mean you'd basically have to go through the AOSP code line by line I would think to actually locate this.
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They do say that it's being done by hackers. Usually by an exploit, spyware, etc. There may not be any bugs in AOSP, and it very well could be in carrier/manufacturer programming.
X10D3 said:
They do say that it's being done by hackers. Usually by an exploit, spyware, etc. There may not be any bugs in AOSP, and it very well could be in carrier/manufacturer programming.
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I wouldn't call it a "bug" if it's being purposely put into the code.
What I am getting is it's being done by the FBI, not "hackers."
http://propakistani.pk/2013/08/02/f...r-android-phone-mic-or-laptop-cameras-report/
"Hacker" seems to just be any word the media uses for anyone who does something questionable on a computer or phone.
I use a Nexus 4 (pure AOSP code) and I would think they could do this to my phone just as easily as say an SGS4 or what have you..
This article seems to indicate that it's not a deliberate backdoor, but an actual exploit that's giving them the mic access. They also mention laptops (obviously not running Android) so I think it's more likely they're just hacking these platforms and using their new privileges to turn the mic on.
Also if you think about it, the mic isn't a restricted device on Linux or Windows. You can touch it without any special permission, so they wouldn't have to completely own your device to listen in on you.
meangreenie said:
Bomb bomb terrorist attack paroxide jihaad president ala Iran Jew plot bin laden Arabian afganistan ...bla bla bla 911 77 government Cameron Obama explosive detonator kill kidnap ....
I wonder if my mic has been switched on?
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Best laugh I've had all day.
Thank you
Sent from my LG-E980 using xda premium
orangekid said:
Pretty sure Apple has the same thing built into iOS.
edit:
@jcase might be able to give some insight as to how hard this would be to circumvent,
I would think you'd need a kernel level manual override of drivers where x driver cannot be activated under any circumstance unless you manually allow it, kind of like asking for SU permissions, then you use a third party dialer that you personally coded or something of the sort.
I mean you'd basically have to go through the AOSP code line by line I would think to actually locate this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I call BS on any FBI microphone backdoor without hard evidence. Possibility of state sponsored malware that does it? Certainly exists. Don't install random apps you dont trust, stay away from malware and use an international carrier unbranded phone that gets updates frequently (S4 (GT-i9500) and unbranded HTC One likely fit this description, so do GPE devices). Also, most custom roms are horribly outdated as far as security patches go.
jcase said:
I call BS on any FBI microphone backdoor without hard evidence. Possibility of state sponsored malware that does it? Certainly exists..
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This wouldnt surprise me after reading that they are using free lance hackers to find exploits in different OS.