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iPod touch Spyware on iPod Touch 4G?

macstatic

macstatic

macrumors 68010
Original poster
Oct 21, 2005
2,000
162
Norway
I just read that several iPhone apps spy on its users and I'm worried that this affects iPod Touch (4G) users too. Apparently, some apps ("Angry birds" and "Texplus 4" were mentioned) retrieves contact information and sends it "home".
Do I need to get worried? Is there anything I can do to prevent apps from "phoning home", retrieving personal information on my iPod whenever I go online? Little snitch comes to mind but as far as I know there's no iPod Touch app version available or anything similar (at least not based on my app-store and web searches).
 
L

LeighAnna Jones

macrumors 6502
Oct 7, 2010
276
0
No. What you heard is most likeley a rumor and a lie.

Angry Birds is made by Rovio. A company that sells cases; plush toys; apps; and supports angry birds through lots of divices.

As for textplus 4; no idea.

Just forget about those rumors.

Like epic dude above me said; they would be pulled if they were spyware.
 
P

patp

Guest
Apr 10, 2008
849
1
logic dictates that they would be pulled once they were discovered to have spyware properties.

once discovered.
 
macstatic

macstatic

macrumors 68010
Original poster
Oct 21, 2005
2,000
162
Norway
Well, the link I posted earlier seems pretty serious (Wall street journal blog) and so does another article from the online version of the same newspaper.

So you're all saying that it is indeed possible to create an app which spies on you, retrieving contact info etc. but that Apple's policy is not to accept that kind of thing in their app-store? Just trusting Apple/trusting Apple to find out isn't good enough if it's possible to do. I haven't had my iPod Touch 4G for more than a few weeks and really haven't had time to set it all up, but I was thinking that synchronizing my address book and calendar with my Mac would be useful. Now I don't know...
 
Last edited:
saberahul

saberahul

macrumors 68040
Nov 6, 2008
3,645
111
USA
Few of the advantages to Apple being a closed system involves removal of apps which violate the rules - spyware being one of them.
 
I

iEvolution

macrumors 65816
Jul 11, 2008
1,432
2
Its not 100% fool proof, I mean we've already seen apps add "easter eggs" that violate apples terms of service and get away with it at least for a little while.

Spyware can happen to any device that has a operating system, closed ecosystem doesn't mean its fool proof.

That being said I don't think there is reason to worry unless you are jailbreaking your iPod and going outside the realm of the iTunes store.
 
Brucewl

Brucewl

macrumors 6502
Sep 15, 2010
305
0
So what? I think spyware is useless in my iPod Touch 4, because I will not take any personal photos or infomarion in my iPod, and the account of iTunes is free account. Nothing useful for any spy. If I find this app on my iPod, I will delete or even restore to factory setting.
 
V

viperGTS

macrumors 68000
Nov 15, 2010
1,560
941
actually, that article is talking about how devs use your ECID (your own device identifier) to track how you use their apps, and how often.
 
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