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6 January 2015

WHAT YOUR ANDROID APPS KNOW ABOUT YOU: RESEARCHERS REVEAL THE SOFTWARE THAT CAN LISTEN TO YOUR MICROPHONE, ACCESS YOUR CONTACTS — AND, ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOU ARE

January 3, 2015
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Mark Prigg, writing on the January 2, 2014 , DailyMail.com, begins by noting, “Android apps are spying on users far more than expected [than previously understood], according to a new study. The research by Vocativ, shows that [Android] apps can access users [mobile devices and laptops] microphones, call logs, and contacts. The study found one of the worst offenders, was a game aimed at children,” Mr. Prigg writes.

“Called Happy Fish, developer HappyElements programmed the game so that can collect a precise location, has access to your photos, and can read your text messages. It can even tell which WiFi network you are using,” Mr. Prigg added. Not surprisingly, Android users have taken to social media to complain about this invasion of privacy. “The hugely popular game, Fruit Ninja asks users for permissions described as ‘crazy’ by the users.” “One reviewer wrote, “I will never install this until it is clear as to why the developer’ needs access to all your private content.’

“More than 25 [Android] apps have access to [a users] contacts; and, about one-third can tap into text messages, call logs, and microphones,’ the studied concluded. The key to this ‘clandestine’ entry, is ads,” the studied noted. “These advertisers are trying to get more targeted information about you, so they can get more targeted ads,” PrivacyGrade.org founder, and Carnegie Mellon Professor of Computer Science, Jason Hong said. “These apps access information about a user that can be highly sensitive, such as location, contact lists, and call logs — yet it is often difficult for the average user to understand how that information is being used, or who it might be shared with. Most developers aren’t evil, but they often don’t know what to do with respect to privacy and security,” Professor Hong added. “Some developers,” he noted, “may simply collect data with their apps — because they can…and, nobody stops them.”

“The site assigns letter grades to more than one million free Android apps, ranging from A+. for the puzzle game Lazor;s, to a D for the Despicable Me: Minion Rush game,” Mr. Prigg wrote. “PrivacyGrade.org, keeps tracks of hundreds of apps; and, publishes its ratings for them. It says with Android smartphones, you only have a few options, with deleting the app being one of them. Alternatively,” he says, “you can try to find a replacement app that has similar functionality (e.g., there are many flashlight apps that that don’t need an Internet connection or location data). Most people expect apps such as Google Maps to be able to access their location; but, [they] are surprised and troubled to learn that a game accesses their location.” Professor Hong observed.

“These are not just hypothetical risks either: several app developers have already been fined by the Federal Trade Commission for deceptive uses of peoples’ [personal] data. The FTC added: “The complexity of the IT ecosystem raises 21st century concerns; “When people use their mobile devices…they are sharing information about their daily lives — with a multitude of players.”

Our digital exhaust, digital ‘footprints,’ are easily assessable by these big-data companies that track our buying habits and likes and dislikes; and, can provide enough data over time, to paint a fairly complete picture of who, and where we are. That is on reason that encryption and other techniques that disguise our digital presence have become so popular. Denial and deception is alive and well on the Internet of Things — Threats. V/R, RCP

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