Database Info

Does this worry you?

http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/11/24/android.data.exploit.fix.may.be.limited.to.23/
Watch the video too--what do you guys think?

xredjokerx said:
http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/11/24/android.data.exploit.fix.may.be.limited.to.23/
Watch the video too--what do you guys think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope...doesn't worry me

OK, it is a real vulnerability, but because you have to know the file name on the SD card, what is the exploit really stealing? Only if some application stores its files on SD, and names this super secret file the same for everyone. Also, if the file is in plain text, then it is not really super secret to start with.
Real vulnerability, but easily mitigated by encrypted sensitive data. If you lose your phone, you have the same problem - I don't think you can remote wipe an SD card, and the thief could pop it out before you do anyway.
So, no real worry IMO.

Google is aware of the issue but has unusually said that the fix will come only with Android 2.3, or Gingerbread. The company didn't explain why it couldn't or wouldn't patch earlier versions but may leave many devices vulnerable due to the fragmented nature of Android updating, Cannon said.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
--from the article
Not to defend Samsung because via my experience with the captivate it has confirmed my belief that their support is terrible, but my first thought upon reading that paragraph was that if Samsung had issued a statement like there would already be 50 posts bashing samsung and their lack of dedication to provide good service to their customers.

Not worried at all. Nothing on my phone to steal.
What does worry me is this statement: "Google is aware of the issue but has unusually said that the fix will come only with Android 2.3, or Gingerbread."
We may never see Gingerbread for this device, that's what worries me the most.

Google should make a patch for existing OS available as well as addressing it in 2.3. Especially since they can't make manufacturers build new releases.

I don't have anything on my phone that would put me in jeopardy anyway, so no.

WTF, really? If you went to a website that started downloading stuff in the background, wouldn't you use task manager and close the browser and/or turn off your data connection as soon as possible? You can clearly see at :55 where it starts downloading a file.
It sucks that Android 2.2 has a vulnerability, but it's all about user behavior. I've gone without an actively scanning virus scanner on my Windows desktop for the last 4 or 5 years and have never once gotten accidentally infected. Security is more about user behavior than it is about fixing every single possible flaw, including those that require knowing the exact path of the files you want to steal from someone.

[Q] Anti-virus

Hi I just want to ask is it necessary to install a anti-virus on the android phone? do our android really get a virus? just asking for some opinion thanks in advance

Have yet to see a thread "help I have a virus" if that means anything.

There is a virus circulating around the Chinese Market right now and another exploit I've heard of following some people on Twitter. So it's definitely possible to get a virus on our devices.
Put it this way, is it better to wait and not get any antivirus and have the potential of getting virus later, or protect yourself now and cut if off at the pass for when they become more prevalent?
I use Lookout, it works great and doesn't kill my battery or do anything bad to my phone from what I can tell. It's all up to you though.

I see no need whatsoever do do this. If you are not running a custom ROM, then you probably should be. And if you are willing to flash a ROM, then you have a sure way of removing viruses if you do something stupid enough to get one.
There are probably a lot more exploits for Andorid than viruses (like buffer overflows via SMS, etc.) and an antivirus will not protect you from that. What it will do is slow down your device, use more data, and reduce your battery life.
When it comes to viruses on your phone, take the Dwight K. Schrute approach: Think to yourself, "Would an idiot do this?". If the answer is yes, do not do that thing. This approach should be way better than antivirus.

fatbas202 said:
I see no need whatsoever do do this. If you are not running a custom ROM, then you probably should be. And if you are willing to flash a ROM, then you have a sure way of removing viruses if you do something stupid enough to get one.
There are probably a lot more exploits for Andorid than viruses (like buffer overflows via SMS, etc.) and an antivirus will not protect you from that. What it will do is slow down your device, use more data, and reduce your battery life.
When it comes to viruses on your phone, take the Dwight K. Schrute approach: Think to yourself, "Would an idiot do this?". If the answer is yes, do not do that thing. This approach should be way better than antivirus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
10 char

Punxx said:
There is a virus circulating around the Chinese Market right now and another exploit I've heard of following some people on Twitter. So it's definitely possible to get a virus on our devices.
Put it this way, is it better to wait and not get any antivirus and have the potential of getting virus later, or protect yourself now and cut if off at the pass for when they become more prevalent?
I use Lookout, it works great and doesn't kill my battery or do anything bad to my phone from what I can tell. It's all up to you though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not trying to be rude but this logic resembles:
Everyday I throw $1.50 in quarters in my front lawn. It keeps the pink elephants from trampling down all my grass. I know it works because I have not had a pink elephant problem yet! ...I haven't actually seen them, but I know they are out there...

Punxx said:
There is a virus circulating around the Chinese Market right now and another exploit I've heard of following some people on Twitter. So it's definitely possible to get a virus on our devices.
Put it this way, is it better to wait and not get any antivirus and have the potential of getting virus later, or protect yourself now and cut if off at the pass for when they become more prevalent?
I use Lookout, it works great and doesn't kill my battery or do anything bad to my phone from what I can tell. It's all up to you though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fatbas202 said:
I see no need whatsoever do do this. If you are not running a custom ROM, then you probably should be. And if you are willing to flash a ROM, then you have a sure way of removing viruses if you do something stupid enough to get one.
There are probably a lot more exploits for Andorid than viruses (like buffer overflows via SMS, etc.) and an antivirus will not protect you from that. What it will do is slow down your device, use more data, and reduce your battery life.
When it comes to viruses on your phone, take the Dwight K. Schrute approach: Think to yourself, "Would an idiot do this?". If the answer is yes, do not do that thing. This approach should be way better than antivirus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shovelhead84 said:
I am not trying to be rude but this logic resembles:
Everyday I throw $1.50 in quarters in my front lawn. It keeps the pink elephants from trampling down all my grass. I know it works because I have not had a pink elephant problem yet! ...I haven't actually seen them, but I know they are out there...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@Shovelhead84 - LOL
Honestly, I think both responses use bad logic. In the end it comes down to your comfort level. If you are comfortable using your phone with no A/V software and know how to rebuild/reset if you get a virus, then go for it. If the thought of using any device with an Operation System without A/V makes you squeamish, then put A/V on it.
Personally, I would never run a Windows Desktop OS without A/V and I have never installed A/V on any Linux device I have used (I don't see any need for the overhead when virus writers are not attacking the Linux kernel at this time). But that is my personal preference and does not make it right for anyone else.

I personally don't use any, I use Lookout, but only for the lost device protection, If I'm sideloading anything, I havea pretty good idea of what it is, and like another poster said, I'm sure if something did happen, it's nothing a fresh Odin flash couldn't help. If you don't use one, I wouldn't stress yourself out about it, I think you'd have to go out of your way to find a virus right now.

there are a couple good anti-virus apps out there that are free. Lookout and Dr Web... I've used both - didnt seem to affect the phone much. As i've learned with any computer, its always better to have the anti-virus and not need it, than it is to get a nasty virus and WISH you had it.... back in 2003 I got a virus on my pc (was in the middle of playing Halo) that crashed to my desktop and within about 10 mins half my hdd was gone! (corrupted beyond repair)

Virus software???????

Is anyone using virus protection on there Tablets ????
If you run a rooted tablet and load apps from outside sources what is is the risk level????
Thanks

There's always risk running apps from uncontrolled sources....
Being rooted offers a slight measure of protection as apps that require root access need to ask for it and I wouldn't be granting it to a torch app.... There is always still the risk that some little mongrel out there will find an unprotected exploit, like the exynos exploit found recently and take advantage of it but honestly I haven't found any viruses on android though there are some supposedly around.
If you feel at risk install an antivirus app, there are a few free ones available.

I use eset anti virus, and it has found a few viruses, malware in apps....

kkretch said:
Is anyone using virus protection on there Tablets ????
If you run a rooted tablet and load apps from outside sources what is is the risk level????
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If those outside sources are Warez sites then risk is high.
jje

Thanks everone....
I did install an app and I'm clean.
You can't be to careful these days.

I've used a few...never once had an issue come up though. Since I rarely use "new apps" than my old standards (of which there are like 98 of them LOL) and they have never once even been a blip on Lookout, Avast, and AVG's radars, I don't bother anymore. However, if I do plan to install something new it is always from Amazon or Google and I tend to read reviews (because most people that find a problem complain like hell) and if I'm really leery, I will install a AV long enough to test it.

Like I said I use ESET antivirus, no other checker inc those mentioned above would find viruses, that ESET did.
Give in a try free trial and updates for 1 month. I found nothing else comes close tonthis software for finding problems.
Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk 2

I'm currently using SOPHOS which has not found any problems on any of my android devices. In the past I have used Kaspersky, Comodo and Lookout.
My main reason for using them is the value added services that they afford, namely remote wiping/locking/locating etc. if the the device is stolen or lost.

How far are we from roms?

Just wondering how much time people think it'll take before we get even a super unstable rom

From the looks of it, it took a month just to get TWRP on the original Pixel, so probably a while. Personally, I am straying away from ROMs. I only need root so that I can get viper4android and provisioning turned off. Other than that, don't really need anything else anymore.

I don't care too much for roms, however I'm interested in a Kernel that will allow me full control of the screen colors.
I feel that will come sooner than Google will officially provide more vibrant colors.

Fingers crossed for Turkey day, more realistic that Santa will bring em.

I dare say that we'll need factory images & driver binaries to make an appearance before the ball gets properly rolling.

I'm looking forward to Lineage OS. I hope the Pixel 2 gets official support. The Pixel 1 has never had an official version of Lineage OS.
I don't need a lot of new features and mods. But Lineage does strip out some of the privacy violating stuff in Android, other crud, and gets updated weekly, making it more secure.
Currently the Pixel 2 is still on the September 5 security patch from Google. So it has not been patched for the extremely bad Krack vulnerability in wifi (which affects all platforms). In fact, no version of Android, even on the original Pixels has been patched for Krack. But Lineage OS was patched within a day of the public announcement of Krack. This means my Nexus 4 running Lineage OS is more secure than the most up to date Pixel, even though Google stopped supporting the Nexus 4 years ago. That is just an embarrassment and Google should be humiliated, but really they don't care that much about security.
(If you don't know about Krack, it completely breaks WPA2 wifi connections--which is what everyone uses--and allows an attacker to easily decrypt all of your traffic.)
By the way, Windows was patched for Krack the week before it was publically announced. Linux was patched the day of the announcement. As I said, Lineage OS was patched the next day. Apple has been vague about when there will be updates to either MacOS or iOS and just leaked to some bloggers that they are coming--Apple is the worst on security on the desktop now (though they do a lot of PR to appear great) and not good on the iPhone. Google says they have a patch, but are not clear at all about when it will come (a computer journalist/developer I was emailing with recently said to me that Android security is so bad it should be considered criminal).
Anyway, so that's an argument for at least some ROMs, beyond a need for any special features and mods.

I'm with the previous posters. I don't NEED roms...but more development is always a good thing. Remember the days when just getting all your data from phone to phone required Root and titanium? Now all that's backed up in the cloud and restores over the cloud. I was a holdout of the grandfathered UDP and NEEDED root for tethering. But now I'm on the new unlimited and save money now that my teenager is on a smartphone. I'm saving $ on the plan... Never really worry about Data and I really haven't seen a difference.
Android has come so far that each update root has become more for fun instead of necessity.

Everybody needs to settle down with this Krack paranoia. There no hacker sitting outside your window hacking your wifi.

Chronzy said:
Everybody needs to settle down with this Krack paranoia. There no hacker sitting outside your window hacking your wifi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Say what?

Chronzy said:
Everybody needs to settle down with this Krack paranoia. There no hacker sitting outside your window hacking your wifi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably not at your home (although doing that used to be a hobby, called Wardriving, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardriving, so maybe with Krack it will become popular again).
But at work, in a cafe, public places with wifi, wifi sniffing is definitely known to happen.
Further, every time I've heard some say not to worry about some "paranoid" computer security issue, it has come to pass. I can't count anymore the number of computer security disasters that were so predictable, even though they sounded crazy, that I saw them coming years ahead and then they happened.
Basically, these days, we are losing the computer security game. Between extremely sophisticated state actors and almost as sophisticated criminals, huge amounts of resources are going into hacking people in every possible way. If you can think of a hack, it almost certainly is something that is happening or will happen. I've gotten it right so many times that way, when less sophisticated people thought I was crazy. I'm telling you, just imagine something that seems really bad with computer security, sit back, wait a couple years, and it will happen.
What's worse, with Krack, there are so many people running devices that don't get supported anymore that they will be vulnerable to Krack forever. Most routers never get updates either and people don't replace them, so they will be vulnerable for a long time too.
And the people who should be protecting us (Google, banks--Equifax, ahem) don't care, because for them fraud is just and operating expense.
My advice to people is don't do anything over wifi on your phone that you expect to be secure (like banking apps, etc.). Better safe than sorry. Really, I don't think people should ever use banking apps on their phones (or things like Android Pay)--I know people who work for banks developing these things and they really don't spend money on security people (there is also an extreme lack of enough talent in this area). I'll predict it right now. One of these days some banking app is going to get hacked and thousands if not millions of people are going to lose money out of their accounts. The banks will act shocked, pass the cost on to their customers, and know all along they couldn't be bothered to prevent it.

GohanBurner said:
From the looks of it, it took a month just to get TWRP on the original Pixel, so probably a while. Personally, I am straying away from ROMs. I only need root so that I can get viper4android and provisioning turned off. Other than that, don't really need anything else anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The original Pixel had a new dual boot and system partition structure (for seamless updates), which increased the time needed to get TWRP. With luck the Pixel 2 will have the same structure, so it won't require so much work to get TWRP.
I mainly need root so adaway can change the hosts file to get rid of ads. Maybe I'll just stick with stock recovery and use one of the vpn ad blockers.

foosion said:
The original Pixel had a new dual boot and system partition structure (for seamless updates), which increased the time needed to get TWRP. With luck the Pixel 2 will have the same structure, so it won't require so much work to get TWRP.
I mainly need root so adaway can change the hosts file to get rid of ads. Maybe I'll just stick with stock recovery and use one of the vpn ad blockers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe it is confirmed to have the same file system. There are indications that there are "slots"again just like the original Pixel.

All development is waiting on the release of the kernel source for the Pixel 2. I'd imagine it'll surface close to when the next OTA comes out with the October/November security patch. Seems like they aren't interested in releasing source and factory images for the current production build. I'd imagine within a week or two it'll happen.

ryanbg said:
All development is waiting on the release of the kernel source for the Pixel 2. I'd imagine it'll surface close to when the next OTA comes out with the October/November security patch. Seems like they aren't interested in releasing source and factory images for the current production build. I'd imagine within a week or two it'll happen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Factory images are live:
https://developers.google.com/android/images#walleye
:good::good:

If anyone worried about KRACK needs to stop. If you are visiting http sites stop using them viola no need to worry. It's 2017 and all sites should be using https as a standard. There is no reason for a site not to use it.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

app permissions removed by phone without asking!

I always had suspected that Samsung would infringe on my new phone, finally received evidence directly from Samsung so its undeniable now!

it's a setting you control. by design as specified by latest Android

revized said:
I always had suspected that Samsung would infringe on my new phone, finally received evidence directly from Samsung so its undeniable now!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should probably spend some time learning about Android 11 and up and the permissions. If you look, you will see this is an option YOU can control.
Don't blame Samsung for your lack of knowledge.
Start here:
Android 12 will automatically hibernate unused apps to free up space
Android 12 is introducing an app hibernation feature that removes temporary files of unused apps in order to free up space.
www.xda-developers.com

Since Pie and especially 11 onward Android is full of unpleasant surprises.
I would have it left on 10... I'm deliberately still running Pie on my 10+

i like getting home from work or using weekends spending the evening ticking boxes windows 10 style has always been a favorite of mine, phew windows xp was so boring, nothing to always fix, and thanks android 11 now I get to have all kinds of fun reading through litigation style setting the power that be keep implementing on MY device, kinda like buying a car and regularly functions change, causing annoying problems, (oh wait maybe updates never cause problems? )
so should we start updating automobiles for all that fun downtime and relaxing manual reading goodness?
nah window xp and note 10 is the way for me see

revized said:
I always had suspected that Samsung would infringe on my new phone, finally received evidence directly from Samsung so its undeniable now!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yup.... I wont go on a rant (which means I will...) but this, along with other compromises like this have convinced me there needs to be a minor Revolution in handsets. I mean a device created remind you of the device next to it. Unfortunately I smashed my phone a few months ago and at an inopportune time was forced to choose a new one. I left the whole table open (barring how ridiculous). I chose a pixel 4XL. There were many factors ( mostly personal preferences), but in the end I saw the writing on the wall. Nothing impressed me. A brand new phone would be painful proper rooting. This left only the devices worked over by better individuals (xda members).
And when it came down to it if the bootloader couldn't be unlocked, it was a deal-breaker.
I think the last genuine phone for the average nerd was the Nexus 6.
.... Okay I vented .
I had the same issue in Android 12 with my new handset except only Google didn't tell me like Samsung told you. They just did it.

jhavron said:
yup.... I wont go on a rant (which means I will...) but this, along with other compromises like this have convinced me there needs to be a minor Revolution in handsets. I mean a device created remind you of the device next to it. Unfortunately I smashed my phone a few months ago and at an inopportune time was forced to choose a new one. I left the whole table open (barring how ridiculous). I chose a pixel 4XL. There were many factors ( mostly personal preferences), but in the end I saw the writing on the wall. Nothing impressed me. A brand new phone would be painful proper rooting. This left only the devices worked over by better individuals (xda members).
And when it came down to it if the bootloader couldn't be unlocked, it was a deal-breaker.
I think the last genuine phone for the average nerd was the Nexus 6.
.... Okay I vented .
I had the same issue in Android 12 are my new handset only Google tell me like Samsung told you. They just did it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android and Samsung are a mess now. I got my 2nd new N10+ less a year ago. Both are stock running on 9 and 10. Even though I disable firmware updates/upgrades I still fight with Samsung apps like Wearables for the Buds+.
It's updates and performance zenithed about a year ago, everything since just degrades it, including the audio. I roll it back but it wants to force update. Fighting with it now, again*.
Samsung hasn't released anything near as good since the N10+, they've lost their minds. Fk em.
Android reached their zenith at 9, scoped storage sucks and isn't needed. This N10+ running on 9 has no issues other than what Samsung continues to screw with
I use whatever works and comes in handy even if it's 3 years old. That goes for hardware and firmware... I don't give a rat's arse about having the newest if it isn't a well balanced, clean running improvement.
* edit, fixed. Uninstalled all Buds and Wearables updates, reinstalled older saved versions, after firewall blocking specific update UIDs. Old UI and the sound volume/Q restored.

Agreed, both companies have lost their minds, I will probably be sane someday with a flip phone and leave all the powers that be behind soon.

Compusmurf said:
You should probably spend some time learning about Android 11 and up and the permissions. If you look, you will see this is an option YOU can control.
Don't blame Samsung for your lack of knowledge.
Start here:
Android 12 will automatically hibernate unused apps to free up space
Android 12 is introducing an app hibernation feature that removes temporary files of unused apps in order to free up space.
www.xda-developers.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely understand what your saying, I just think phone owners can spend free time if they chose to just use the phone and be cool, not need to get a huge secrets and tips book like for windows 7 and now 1 of those books for each new phones because of all the absurd changes that went along with scraping the world best os xp and note 3 in my option. Companies lost it to long ago, can't do a make over on a UI without all kinda of restrictions oh I meant goodness. So long gone are the super chill days, it's time to become a mini tech support technician when you get home from work

This is nothing malicious, it's simply an Android feature to protect you.

V0latyle said:
This is nothing malicious, it's simply an Android feature to protect you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, recent history is showing that for some things being unprotected is safer

blackhawk said:
Android and Samsung are a mess now. I got my 2nd new N10+ less a year ago. Both are stock running on 9 and 10. Even though I disable firmware updates/upgrades I still fight with Samsung apps like Wearables for the Buds+.
It's updates and performance zenithed about a year ago, everything since just degrades it, including the audio. I roll it back but it wants to force update. Fighting with it now, again*.
Samsung hasn't released anything near as good since the N10+, they've lost their minds. Fk em.
Android reached their zenith at 9, scoped storage sucks and isn't needed. This N10+ running on 9 has no issues other than what Samsung continues to screw with
I use whatever works and comes in handy even if it's 3 years old. That goes for hardware and firmware... I don't give a rat's arse about having the newest if it isn't a well balanced, clean running improvement.
* edit, fixed. Uninstalled all Buds and Wearables updates, reinstalled older saved versions, after firewall blocking specific update UIDs. Old UI and the sound volume/Q restored.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One of the few features of Samsung that I like is that of you keep your Samsung account and Google account sperated (not sure if this is actually necessary) and your phone is compromised you may have a 2nd chance at redemption... Samsung seems to give more hardware for the $ tho.....
But that makes you that much more of their product in my opinion....
I do miss my note pen sometimes tho

jhavron said:
One of the few features of Samsung that I like is that of you keep your Samsung account and Google account sperated (not sure if this is actually necessary) and your phone is compromised you may have a 2nd chance at redemption... Samsung seems to give more hardware for the $ tho.....
But that makes you that much more of their product in my opinion....
I do miss my note pen sometimes tho
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never set a lock on the phone and make sure I have the Google account password impossibly long, complex and etched in stone.
Find my Device is always disabled.
No social media apps on the phone, wifi always disabled.
Lol, being a Google product sucks. Zero trust in the ruling elites; they've weaponized our devices along with most everything else.
The spen is very useful when you need it. In the N10+ it just nests, protected, until it's needed. Some things can't be done easily or at all without it. Smart select rocks.