Gets interesting around 5:30
A young geek has found a program – Carrier IQ – that logs everything running on millions of phones, text messages, email, encrypted web searches. I checked on my Samsung Android and I can’t find anything similar, but it seems to be a rootkit that’s running on millions of Android, Blackberry and Nokia smartphones, basically reporting all your base back to the carrier.
This video above is a bit long and detailed, but I still found it interesting. It’s already been pretty documented iPhones and Androids are tracking and reporting where you are. One German politician created a map showing all his movements, which a newspaper combined with his public tweets and blog post, but apparently the carrier is getting all that info as well.
The Android developer who raised the ire of a mobile-phone monitoring company last week is on the attack again, producing a video of how the Carrier IQ software secretly installed on millions of mobile phones reports most everything a user does on a phone.
Though the software is installed on most modern Android, BlackBerry and Nokia phones, Carrier IQ was virtually unknown until 25-year-old Trevor Eckhart of Connecticut analyzed its workings, revealing that the software secretly chronicles a user’s phone experience — ostensibly so carriers and phone manufacturers can do quality control.
But now he’s released a video actually showing the logging of text messages, encrypted web searches and, well, you name it. (Wired)
The title here is something of a misnomer, Android doesn’t read anything, your carrier would. AFAIK, Dialog isn’t collecting or even monitoring my stuff, but perhaps check on your phone. This seems somewhat standard in the US. Quality control mebbe, but for web apps ‘send user reports’ is opt in, and doesn’t include the content of what you’re saying.
I think this type of data tracking is interesting, indeed, you could make infographics of your life, but it’s not cool when it’s in someone else’s control. This also makes me wonder, can governments subpeona this? Couldn’t this prove or disprove many allegations of crime? I mean, the carriers seem to have your location as well as what your saying, to whom, and what you’re doing online.
I must say that I’m intrigued by this technology, but not as a rootkit, and not something hackers have to figure out. In that sense, it’s actually quite creepy.
As you mentioned, it is not Android, and Carrier IQ is mainly runs on Sprint phones in the USA. It is a carrier add on and only way to get rid of it is to install a custom ROM, if you are handy at it. Quality control is the escape goat they tried to use.
Carrier IQ initially send the guy a cease and desist letter but after EFF got involved they retracted it.
The latest is now malls are tracking you using your phone, using just the beacon, this program does not install anything on your phone, only requirement is that your phone is powered up. They can then map your mall visit in various ways. Only solution is to turn off your cell when you enter such tracking mall.
There is no way out, how many other tracking systems are in motion now? Privacy is an illusion
Tracking software will show where the phone is. Not WHO is carrying it.
If a criminal steals yr phone and commits murder does that mean u r the murderer?
AT&T also admitted they are using ICQ software.
If you ant to check if your phone has CIQ get this app. You need root your device first. XDA DEV
By the way iOS also has a milder version of CIQ