How to stop anyone spying on my phone? - General Questions and Answers

Hi, I am having some problems on my phone. Recently, I saw some duplicates of my files, some were missing and my mobile has become real slow. I see synchronization more often than before this might be the reason my data package gets exhausted fast. It worries me as I don't install new apps just the standard ones. I have doubts that one of my friends did that because they use it occasionally. How do I know if someone is spying and how do I stop them?

SherazHashmi said:
Hi, I am having some problems on my phone. Recently, I saw some duplicates of my files, some were missing and my mobile has become real slow. I see synchronization more often than before this might be the reason my data package gets exhausted fast. It worries me as I don't install new apps just the standard ones. I have doubts that one of my friends did that because they use it occasionally. How do I know if someone is spying and how do I stop them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, first thing to do is scanning the device with a anti-spyware app

To avoid everyone spying on your phone, you should always keep it off.
Sent from this galaxy

I used the first app Anti Spy on Google Play and it found Android Spy app but was asking me for premium version. I found this quick guide on stopping someone from spying on my cell phone in my following list and fortunately found this app in running services. I uninstalled and rebooted the mobile and it's working fine now, came down friends were trying to peek me for prank.

Related

Facebook "hacked"-because of apps?

I am having a weird problem with my facebook account, it keeps chatting with my friends, posting on their walls, and posting statuses. Its all the usual "click here to get a free ipod" ect. I tried changing my password already and it stopped for awhile (few days) but now its doing it again.
Im starting to wonder if its one of my apps on my phone somehow doing it since I have the facebook app and have myself signed in.
Anyone experience this?
No, it's apps on your facebook account, and this has zero to do with this forum.
khaytsus said:
No, it's apps on your facebook account, and this has zero to do with this forum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you need to calm down. If I was mistaken then fine, but if it was an android app causing it then why would this be in the wrong forum?
bob2300nx said:
I think you need to calm down. If I was mistaken then fine, but if it was an android app causing it then why would this be in the wrong forum?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not android apps. This happens when you use survey apps, etc. on facebook. NOTHING to do with android.
migueltherocker said:
It's not android apps. This happens when you use survey apps, etc. on facebook. NOTHING to do with android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank You now I know, was starting to suspect my phone. I delete the few apps that were on my facebook (do you think this will fix it?).
Can the apps also go into chat with my friends? The reason I ask is under permissions the only app on facebook that shows is "gochat" which is an android app for chatting on facebook.
easy way to track down were it is coming from is to go into your app settings on facebook, and limit the apps that can post. To eliminate the phone, just stop anything but your phone apps from posting, then wait a day and see what happens. then add back 1 app at a time until you find which one is the pffending app.
But as already said very unlikely to be your phone apps directly.

[Q] Android app security

While I'm waiting for my GS2 (my first Android device) to be shipped I have been doing a little research into the apps and general security and was shocked to find that many apps actually leak private information and data back to ad servers. This scares me a little. I don't want my location, and other personal data being sent to places I haven't authorised.
Is there any way of being able to stop or block this or any way of identifying which apps do this? How can one know if a publisher of an app can be trusted?
I try to keep my PC locked down from this sort of thing and want to do so with my phone. I just want to be able to make an informed decision with Android.
There is a app called Permissions Denied that can do that.
When you download an app from the market, it tells you what permissions theapp has to have. Most of th time, the permissions aren't for what you think. Internet connection is usually cause it has ads. Also, see what the apps are rated, and read the comments to see if the app is trustworthy.
[sig]I'm close to root, im patiently waiting on those puzzles[sig]
First thing I downloaded when I bought my EVO was Lookout mobile. Very good AntiVirus app with free features that Sprint is trying to sell with their own junk. Try it out.
Thanks for the comments guys. The thing is how do you really know that the app is not maliciously harvesting your data?
Take the Lookout Mobile app triagetoday mentioned above. Now, I'm only using this app as an example and am not saying that there is anything wrong with the app as I've not used it. But it makes a good example.
The app wants permissions for everything. Most user comments are positive, there are a few that say that they cannot uninstall it which is worrying but generally the comments are favourable. But how can I be sure that this app wasn't written to harvest data on the pretence that it's protecting your phone? In fact there is even one comment suggesting just that. I can't see anywhere where I can look at the source code so is it a case of blind faith and hope the publisher is not malicious?
After reading many reports about huge increase in malware on Android and data leakage it's a real concern on how to protect your data.

[Q] Android without Google, completely

Hey,
jsut thought about this thought the whole day. I´ve got a Moto XT720 (Stock ROM) and it works pretty good. Now the thing is, I have the Google Account and so on. But I do not want that Google is tracking me, has access to my phone, and that my phone can connect to google servers (Mail, Calendar, Market, SYSTEM).
Is it possible that I can delete some apk´s so that I have a real standalone mobile phone?
Sorry for my bad english,
greetings
you gotta be kidding
Google's stuff is the spirit of their OS... Android needs google's account for the market moreover.
sounds a little impossible. just make an account for the market and don't use it for anything else. Only thing i can think of.
Exactly, but he wants remove google's apps too...
He wants a total googleapplicationless Android phone. What a problem !
Thanks guys,
I do not need the market also (for what?, I have the apps I want to use)
Greets
push..no one knows it?
If you do any web browsing on any device even on a pc or iphone google and bing etc will track data about you. You can't use any device online without someone tracking you unless you use a proxy and even then the proxy could still track you.
You can delete or freeze googles apps but browsing will be tracked on any online device so only sure way is switch off wifi and mobile data.
But that defeats the point of a smartphone then.
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
Maybe you should forget mobiles cause anytime you're tracked as soon as you power it on
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
a guess, flash a custom rom and dont flash the google apps pack?
ICS, at least stock ICS, has the ability to disable system apps.
Settings -> Apps (under 'Device) -> 'All' tab, click an app, click "Disable". It won't be uninstalled, but it will never run, meaning it cannot connect to the internet or do anything else.
e.coli said:
ICS, at least stock ICS, has the ability to disable system apps.
Settings -> Apps (under 'Device) -> 'All' tab, click an app, click "Disable". It won't be uninstalled, but it will never run, meaning it cannot connect to the internet or do anything else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is if he ever uses internet he will still be tracked. If he uses gps his location can also be tracked.
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
mistermentality said:
The problem is if he ever uses internet he will still be tracked. If he uses gps his location can also be tracked.
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it's a very strange request, but he could disable all internet-capable apps, and just use his phone for voice and offline apps?
He could still use GPS though, but not A-GPS. GPS just receives the signal from the satellites, this is why you can still log your position while off the cell network. It's one-way communication, so there's no way to be tracked just by listening to the GPS signal. He could download maps to the phone and use it for navigation that way.
Don't get an Android phone is my advice if you want no connection to Google.
-Sent from my Droid 2-
I agree, why would you use an google operating system, if you don't want to have any connection with google?
Android without the Android market is pretty dull, and even if you would use the amazon appstore (which is officially only working in the US/and maybe CAN) you would be stuck with only a fractal of not up to date apps, since in the amazon app store are alot of old versions flying around.
And please dont believe in the old google creep, who is sitting in front of the "internet" waiting is whole life only to set cookies in your browser. He does not exists!
I don't understand why you would want Android on your mobile device and not want google on it? Thats how smartphones work, if you don't want google on your phone I suggest you get a non smart phone.
Why so much hostility? Isn't the point of Android, and these forums, that it is so customizable? Maybe he doesn't like the new privacy policy.
Anyways, he could disable all Gapps and install Firefox or whatever, which would disconnect most of your connection to Google, but it's hard to avoid it if you want to use the internet at all.
e.coli said:
Why so much hostility? Isn't the point of Android, and these forums, that it is so customizable? Maybe he doesn't like the new privacy policy.
Anyways, he could disable all Gapps and install Firefox or whatever, which would disconnect most of your connection to Google, but it's hard to avoid it if you want to use the internet at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think anyone's been hostile, just surprised maybe as seems op wants no tracking yet to be able to use internet which can't be done except at best through a proxy.
To the op, you can root and uninstall or freeze google apps and browse via a public proxy server if you want to avoid tracking but your carrier and possibly google (the main operating systems all record your gps data inc ios android and wp7, think only wp7 was found collecting that though which is why I say possibly not probably) can still see where you have physically been via cell, gps and wifi logs.
If its just google you wish to avoid another option could be use a firewall or dns blacklist app to stop your device being able to connect to known google internet addresses.
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
miro101 said:
And please dont believe in the old google creep, who is sitting in front of the "internet" waiting is whole life only to set cookies in your browser. He does not exists!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, he does:
http://www.stateofsearch.com/top-15-of-eric-schmidts-remarkable-quotes/
If you don't know by now that all of the "free" apps aren't really free, you're kidding yourself. How do you think Google makes money? It's primary purpose is collecting information. Private informtaion (even the carriers...search on the term "carrier IQ"). That is the age we live in. The best that can be done is to either throw your phone away or learn how to secure your phone and info in as much as is possible. There are apps that can identify what apps are sending what data and block them from doing so (on rooted phones). Even then, data still gets out. It's a trade-off. For now, it's used for marketting purposes. However, that much data is bound to fall into the hands of some government who will use it to control the masses. It's just too tempting, and it's the nature of humanity. So, I'll limit whatever data exodus I can and accept the trade-off for the rest (until the government {read Anti-Christ} wrests control). The old saying applies: "It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you".
I honestly don't get the point in using a smartphone with fears of being 'monitored' or tracked. If you don't want to be tracked, don't use the internet, don't use a cell phone, and live under a rock for the rest of your life. That's the best advice I can offer.

[Q] Action Launcher malware-like behavior on Pacman rom

Hi guys, not sure if this post belongs here or in the developers section but I recently ran into major problem using Action Launcher and since it seems to be growing in popularity I thought I should post what I found and see if anyone else if experiencing this as well. I'm running the latest stable build of Pacman rom and I installed Action Launcher but it had too many bugs to be a daily driver so I decided to uninstall it, which is where I ran into my problem. Once Action Launcher is installed, it does not allow itself to be uninstalled. The uninstall button becomes completely grayed out. I either have to use Titanium or uninstall through the Play store, which is very weird for a user installed app. I tried contacting the developer but there was no help there. This is very strange. I installed in multiple times just to check and even re-flashed my rom and it still becomes uninstallable upon being installed. I've tried every launcher I've ever bought and none of them exhibit this behaviour.
Can anyone else confirm that this is happening? I posted on the developer's google+ forum and at least one other person is experiencing this but I would love to find out if this is a wide spread problem. Also, it is not installed as system app, since someone already asked me that and all the defaults are cleared so it's not even listed as the default launcher. It's all very weird and I don't know if this is on the end of the rom or the app. Can someone help with a possible explanation or answer?
I would suggest removing the apk manually from the system.
Hope it helped
What does the app do that requires it to call phone numbers directly? This could be a red flag as a lot of malware today consists of bad apps calling premium numbers for direct monetary gain.
syung said:
What does the app do that requires it to call phone numbers directly? This could be a red flag as a lot of malware today consists of bad apps calling premium numbers for direct monetary gain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know I never really looked at launcher permissions closely enough considering how widely in use they are by the android community, I'm just assuming these are basic permissions every launcher requests. The permissions themselves don't bother me. I'm sure the call numbers directly permission is there because the app allows you to add and call contacts directly from a folder/cover.
I'm more curious about why the app becomes uninstallable after being installed. It's just a behaviour I've never noticed from any other app I've downloaded from the Play store. I would love to be able to explain it but the developer is pretty lax about getting back in touch with people so I thought I would pose the question to the xda community.
Daniel120201 said:
I would suggest removing the apk manually from the system.
Hope it helped
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, the app is uninstallable from the Play store and even using third party apps but for some reason not through the system ui, at least not with Pacman rom and I'm pretty sure that shouldn't be the case. I just want to know if other people have experienced something similar, using Pacman or any other rom.
Analyss14 said:
You know I never really looked at launcher permissions closely enough considering how widely in use they are by the android community, I'm just assuming these are basic permissions every launcher requests. The permissions themselves don't bother me. I'm sure the call numbers directly permission is there because the app allows you to add and call contacts directly from a folder/cover.
I'm more curious about why the app becomes uninstallable after being installed. It's just a behaviour I've never noticed from any other app I've downloaded from the Play store. I would love to be able to explain it but the developer is pretty lax about getting back in touch with people so I thought I would pose the question to the xda community.
No, the app is uninstallable from the Play store and even using third party apps but for some reason not through the system ui, at least not with Pacman rom and I'm pretty sure that shouldn't be the case. I just want to know if other people have experienced something similar, using Pacman or any other rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What he meant was since you have rooted the phone, you can use a file manager to directly remove the apk from the /data folder, hence removing the problem for you.
Also, the app could become uninstallable for several reasons (ROM compatibility issues, version issues, or a specific feature designed to prevent deletion). I would not immediately suspect malware though, as malware would also be coded to not appear in the apps dashboard in the first place, so that you would not be aware of it, unless it was a bad app pretending to be something else (games, etc.)
syung said:
What he meant was since you have rooted the phone, you can use a file manager to directly remove the apk from the /data folder, hence removing the problem for you.
Also, the app could become uninstallable for several reasons (ROM compatibility issues, version issues, or a specific feature designed to prevent deletion). I would not immediately suspect malware though, as malware would also be coded to not appear in the apps dashboard in the first place, so that you would not be aware of it, unless it was a bad app pretending to be something else (games, etc.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understood what he meant, my "no" was just to let him know that wasn't the issue though I could see how that would be confusing since it also directly answers his question. It's not a problem, I know how to remove the app and using a file manager isn't even necessary since as I said titanium removes it as does simply uninstalling from the Play store. As I said, I've installed and uninstalled it multiple times just to see if it was a glitch. How to uninstall it isn't the issue, why it becomes uninstallable is.
Also, I said malware-like behavior. I didn't say it was malware and I even stated above that none of it's permissions seem suspect to me. That was never the question. This is honest curiosity about why the rom and this app in particular seem to be reacting in this way. It's not a slight to the app or it's developer. When something doesn't work as expected sometimes there's a a genuine interest in finding out how and why. I don't even use the app, I bought it to try because I've heard so many good things but it wasn't my cup of tea. I was just curious why no one else has reported this possible bug. Maybe the "why?" has already been answered but I just can't find the reason, hence my post. I suppose I asked this in the wrong section since I'm not seeking technical help.

Google Search = Super Lag

Has anyone noticed that when actually using the Google app, it is horrendously slow and laggy? Scrolling is especially bad if you look up an actor or musician...It's really the only app I have noticed this with, and unfortunately its one of the most important.
I've tried this with stock, BitOBSessiOn's kernels, ect, and haven't seen a difference. I'm ready to ask Nvidia what the deal is...
Is this just me, or is anyone else running into this? I might try a screen capture later
Google app/search bar? Hell no!!
This is the first thing I deactivate on all my devices.
Google app is essentially a spy app. Everything you do is monitored.. thus it slows down the performance of your device.
If you need to search use Chrome, another browser or a file explorer like normal people.
Niii4 said:
Google app/search bar? Hell no!!
This is the first thing I deactivate on all my devices.
Google app is essentially a spy app. Everything you do is monitored.. thus it slows down the performance of your device.
If you need to search use Chrome, another browser or a file explorer like normal people.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the input. Putting the whole spyware / free services / ect argument aside, I like using Google's services, they can spy on me if they want, they'll be bored - I just want it to work correctly.
"work correctly". How? when the app is monitoring and slowing down everything else?

Categories

Resources