[Carrier IQ] Android tracking your EVERY move

[Oppressed]

I am all about reading.. I hate watching videos to learn something that could be summed up in a few words and I could digest in 30 seconds instead of 8 minutes...

Android and RIM phones have a hidden application that records your keystrokes, your SMS messages, and encrypted data. This data is sent to some unknown web server without you ever knowing or having the ability to opt out.

BTW one can download "Activity Monitor" off the App Store and it has a free version. It will show all the background processes of the iPhone. I see no reference of IQ on mine.

 

[vitzr]

I am all about reading.. I hate watching videos to learn something that could be summed up in a few words and I could digest in 30 seconds instead of 8 minutes...

I'm an a voracious, reader. I greatly prefer to read as opposed to watch a video.

Your post is the most refreshing thing I've read in quite some time.

I was beginning to think I was one of just a few that disliked such extensive use of video when one can read about it, in mere moments.

Cheers ...

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why such childish comments?

I concur, they reveal a lot about the author.

 

[thetexan]

This really isn't Android's fault per se. Apple is a walled garden that controls the hardware and the software but Android is an open OS that can be modified by carriers and hardware manfactors. It's like blaming Microsoft Windows if Dell put some monitoring software on their PCs before shipping them out. There are advantages and disadvantages to both ways of doing things. With openness comes responsibility by both the end users and the carriers.

Not all devices or phones have this problem. Verizon is denying they have any relationships with CarrierIQ though I believe some HTC phones they sold did have it while others did not. Some Samsung devices and HTC devices have it while some do not. There seems to be no pattern as to which carriers are installing this software. It appears that Google isn't involved at all (thus why it isn't technically Android's fault).

It looks like there is evidence this same software existed on iOS at least in the past.

 

[rocknblogger]

I'm an a voracious, reader. I greatly prefer to read as opposed to watch a video.

Your post is the most refreshing thing I've read in quite some time.

I was beginning to think I was one of just a few that disliked such extensive use of video when one can read about it, in mere moments.

Cheers ...

----------


I concur, they reveal a lot about the author.

I'm with you my friend. I can't stand videos unless they are movies or other entertainment I choose to watch. I prefer to read tutorials as well. Most people who make videos as a tutorial or for "news" purposes are not very good at it.

On occasion I find a video that's done correctly, gets to the point immediately and is short enough to be useful. But it's rare.

 

[Intell]

Android and RIM phones have a hidden application that records your keystrokes, your SMS messages, and encrypted data. This data is sent to some unknown web server without you ever knowing or having the ability to opt out.

BTW one can download "Activity Monitor" off the App Store and it has a free version. It will show all the background processes of the iPhone. I see no reference of IQ on mine.

On iOS 4 the offending process is called awd_ice2 on the 3G and 3Gs and is called awd_ice3 on the iPad 1 and iPhone 4. I've personally never seen it running on my iPhone, but it does exist on there.

Apple is a walled garden that controls the hardware and the software but Android is an open OS that can be modified by carriers and hardware manfactors.

It looks like there is evidence this same software existed on iOS at least in the past.

Apple's garden maybe walled, but even the best walls where built by humans. CarrierIQ does exist in iOS 4.3.5 and below. I have yet to find it enabled on iOS 5.

 

[Oppressed]

I have yet to find it enabled on iOS 5.

Could they have dropped it in light of locationgate?

 

[milani]

Did you know that iOS has CarrierIQ in it as well? Been there since iOS 1.0. But I haven't found it in iOS 5 though.

As far as I can tell you're the first person anywhere to make this assertion. I'm not saying I don't believe you, but if you're right then this would be news.

 

[Intell]

Could they have dropped it in light of locationgate?

Possibly. I know it doesn't exist on the 4S. Its on the iPad 1G and iPhone 4, but set not to run. Haven't checked the iPods, the iPad 2, or the 3Gs.

As far as I can tell you're the first person anywhere to make this assertion. I'm not saying I don't believe you, but if you're right then this would be news.

Check out post number 6 and you can see it for yourself. If you want, I can post some screen shots.

 

[Small White Car]

On iOS 4 the offending process is called awd_ice2 on the 3G and 3Gs and is called awd_ice3 on the iPad 1 and iPhone 4. I've personally never seen it running on my iPhone, but it does exist on there.

Apple's garden maybe walled, but even the best walls where built by humans. CarrierIQ does exist in iOS 4.3.5 and below. I have yet to find it enabled on iOS 5.

But what does it DO?

The guy who found it on Android went to a lot of trouble to figure out exactly what it was doing (and even he wasn't able to get the complete picture).

Forgive me, but screen-shots of file names really isn't in the same league. Just because a company made one kind of software for Android doesn't mean anything about what Apple might have hired them to make.

 

[Oppressed]

But what does it DO?

It's been posted. It will record every button you press, every message you get or send, and almost anything else you can do on your phone. It takes the data and sends it to the carriers. The bullet point here is breach of privacy.

 

[Small White Car]

It's been posted. It will record every button you press, every message you get or send, and almost anything else you can do on your phone. It takes the data and sends it to the carriers. The bullet point here is breach of privacy.

Re-read Intell's posts.

He's talking about a file he found in iOS which is NOT what the OP's link is about. The link is about software that runs in Android.

 

[Intell]

The following is all a guess.

My guess is that its something on most mobile phones, if not all, even dumb phones. Its purpose is to help carriers monitor their networks for stability and functionality. I'm not sure how non-iOS versions work, but I think the iOS version works by remote activation of the carrier. Looking in the ATT_US carrier bundle on the iPhone, there's a key for "RemoteDiagnosticsWWANAllowed" and its set to "true". I think this has to do with CarrierIQ.

The preceding text has been all a big educated guess. I have no facts to back any of it up.

 

[milani]

Check out post number 6 and you can see it for yourself. If you want, I can post some screen shots.

Sounds like others have discovered it, as well. Can you tell whether its actively transmitting any data?

 

[*LTD*]

Imagine If It Were Apple ★
John Brownlee, writing for Cult of Mac:

Once logged, Carrier IQ then sends all of this data to its own servers. That’s incredible. One privately held company that almost no one has ever heard of has the complete logs of every email, phone call, web search and text message ever sent or received by millions of Android, Blackberry and Nokia users.

I don’t think that’s an accurate description of what we know at this point. This stuff gets logged on the device. And Carrier IQ claims that their portal software gives “customers” (a.k.a. phone carriers) the ability to look at this stuff. But I don’t think anyone has shown what gets phoned home.

Even worse? There’s no way to opt out of the Carrier IQ “service.” On Android phones, your only choice is to root your phone and replace the operating system with one without the software pre-installed.

This is absolutely insane. Apple was practically crucified over LocationGate, which was just a cache of GPS locations stored on user’s home machines. Meanwhile, almost every Android phone out there is reading people’s emails and logging their passwords, while no one bats an eye.

Apple’s location brouhaha wasn’t even about GPS data — it was only a cache of cell tower locations. The problem isn’t that the news media aren’t sensationalizing this Carrier IQ story. The problem is that they would if it involved Apple.

----------------------------------------

http://daringfireball.net/

 

[Intell]

Sounds like others have discovered it, as well. Can you tell whether its actively transmitting any data?

I have never seen it running on my AT&T 3Gs' list of running programs. But I'll manually call it via Terminal to see what it does here shortly.

They reference me in that article.

 

[milani]

They reference me in that article.

I know! (Quick, promote your Twitter account!)

Somewhat reassuring but I'll wait until we have a clearer picture of what we're dealing with.

 

[kalex]

its not android gate. its carrier gate. so OP's sensational title is wrong.

 

[Intell]

I know! (Quick, promote your Twitter account!)

I don't have a Twitter...

 

[b24pgg]

Nothing to do with Android. Manufacturers determine whether Carrier IQ is installed, and it spans multiple operating systems...including the iPhone.

 

[JoeG4]

Something like that has got to be illegal.

On the plus side I'm running CM7 on my phone. On the negative side, I wish I had done it sooner!

 

[Intell]

I ran the awd_ice2 binary on my 3Gs. It never shows up in the list of running programs. So that's why I've never seen it before, even if it was/is running. But every time I do run it, a new CommCenterMobileHelper process shows up then quits after a few seconds.

 

[b24pgg]

Something like that has got to be illegal.

Oh without a doubt. Carrier IQ as a company will most certainly be finished after this, and I'd imagine the manufacturers who have utilized the software will be facing some class action lawsuits.

 

[syadasti]

Oh without a doubt. Carrier IQ as a company will most certainly be finished after this, and I'd imagine the manufacturers who have utilized the software will be facing some class action lawsuits.

This is legal, the lobbyists made sure:

http://www.infoworld.com/d/adventures-in-it/spy-act-only-protects-vendors-and-their-drm-408

Exception Relating to Security- Nothing in this Act shall apply to--

(1) any monitoring of, or interaction with, a subscriber's Internet or other network connection or service, or a protected computer, by a telecommunications carrier, cable operator, computer hardware or software provider, or provider of information service or interactive computer service, to the extent that such monitoring or interaction is for network or computer security purposes, diagnostics, technical support, or repair, or for the detection or prevention of fraudulent activities;

Don't forget the NSA was doing this on grand scale on the backbones. Server-side, client-side, they are doing it...

The infamous Narus server-side solution: http://www.narus.com/

 

[sciwizam]

Imagine If It Were Apple ★

http://daringfireball.net/

Yes, let's imagine...

Carrier IQ references discovered in Apple's iOS

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Imagine If It Were Apple ★
John Brownlee, writing for Cult of Mac:

Once logged, Carrier IQ then sends all of this data to its own servers. That’s incredible. One privately held company that almost no one has ever heard of has the complete logs of every email, phone call, web search and text message ever sent or received by millions of Android, Blackberry and Nokia users.

I don’t think that’s an accurate description of what we know at this point. This stuff gets logged on the device. And Carrier IQ claims that their portal software gives “customers” (a.k.a. phone carriers) the ability to look at this stuff. But I don’t think anyone has shown what gets phoned home.

Even worse? There’s no way to opt out of the Carrier IQ “service.” On Android phones, your only choice is to root your phone and replace the operating system with one without the software pre-installed.

This is absolutely insane. Apple was practically crucified over LocationGate, which was just a cache of GPS locations stored on user’s home machines. Meanwhile, almost every Android phone out there is reading people’s emails and logging their passwords, while no one bats an eye.

Apple’s location brouhaha wasn’t even about GPS data — it was only a cache of cell tower locations. The problem isn’t that the news media aren’t sensationalizing this Carrier IQ story. The problem is that they would if it involved Apple.

----------------------------------------

http://daringfireball.net/

You know your Apple fanboy blog is full of incorrect fud information. It is select carriers with select manufacturers who are doing this. It has been found on more than just android phones.
I am glad about the press getting on this and hopefully the pressure gets the carriers and manufacturers to react by allowing opt outs.
I can see the point of collecting log information. Mostly for error finding reasons or improving the software but how it is being done is the problem.

Either way fan boy piece spread spreading fud.