I’d rather that gets turned around, that is, CarrierIQ face fines and the carriers are sued into oblivion -- after all, the carriers sought and bought the services offered by CIQ. CIQ is merely the gun here, but the carriers are the trigger-pullers.
Meh, it should have never been developed in the first place. There's no legit purpose for it.
keytracer has been on every Samsung Android I've owned (Virgin Intercept, MetroPCS Galaxy Indulge, Sprint Galaxy S II). I've only today checked the permissions and noticed how ridiculous they are. It is not listed as a running service, but I don't understand why it's installed, at 0.0b.
Before smart phones and fancy "apps", ALL wireless carriers collected (and they still do) just about anything you do with your phone.
Phone calls - you get detailed billing that shows EVERY number you call, or that calls you, it can determine which calls were answered on call waiting, and 3r party calls.
Txt and SMS, yep all that stuff to, who what when and where.
Data, yes, they track that also so they know how to bill you.
There is a huge difference between tracking the amount of bytes sent per month and the keystrokes entered on Websites in the passwords fields; the time and number of sms sent vs. the content of emails typed; I could go on and on. While carriers already had a lot of information on our calling habits, and even numbers called, this is nowhere near as dangerous as having keystrokes logged, which, remember, they're denying, for good reason.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adaaaam
keytracer has been on every Samsung Android I've owned (Virgin Intercept, MetroPCS Galaxy Indulge, Sprint Galaxy S II). I've only today checked the permissions and noticed how ridiculous they are. It is not listed as a running service, but I don't understand why it's installed, at 0.0b.
Maybe it has something to do with the pattern unlock feature that Samsung phones have.
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Last edited by mikedt; December 2nd, 2011 at 02:30 AM.
Under Menu > Settings > Applications > Running services there is an app named IQ Agent Service which has the longest running time and cannot be stopped.
Also, I've noticed that under Menu > Settings > Applications > Manage applications > Menu > Filter > All, there is an app named Keytracer which has all kinds of Permissions. Wondering if this is part of the IQ Agent service, part of Swype, or part of Android.
Could users who do not have Swype installed please confirm this either way. Thanks.
I have Swype installed, it works, and I don't have that installed.
I'm suspicious of keytracer, because while working on a computer for somebody, his pc was very highly infected with some nasty viruses and such. One of them said Tracer something something.
On the Android Market is Voodoo Carrier IQ Detector. Also Bloat / CIQ * Freezer. The former was mentioned at cnn.com. I ran it on my T-Mo Vibrant w/ Project V rom and it reported the s/w is not installed. Maybe it's because of T-Mo, maybe it's because of Project V.
I love the finger pointing. Everyone is blaming Sprint at this point. ATT has basically admitted the software is on their phones, but people seem to be letting them slide at the moment. Not sure why.
I rooted my EVO 4G with Revolutionary and used Root Explorer to find all files containing "IQ". There were about 8 or so. Then I simply added ".org" to their names. I got a complaint notice from the system... something like "current services needs this application", but I disregarded and rebooted. After the reboot, I checked my running apps and found that IQAgent was not running. Yes!!!
That was about 6 hours ago. So far, I've not had any problems calling, sending text, connecting via 3G or WiFi, browsing, downloading new apps from the marketplace or running existing apps.
Rooting took care of this issue, but that shouldn't have to be the case. As others have pointed out, we should be given the option of accepting or rejecting data capture by anyone for any reason.
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Can't guarantee but as far as I've been able to determine, stock, unrooted T-Mobile HTC G2 running Gingerbread 2.3.4 and unrooted LG G2x with Gingerbread 2.3.3 are both clean.
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In light of the looming Senate hearing, Carrier IQ has issued another statement. It reads like their previous statements but now throws in a woman named Rebecca Bace from Infidel Inc, a supposedly respected security expert who claims that CIQ implementation does not by default record keystrokes or other personal information.
Now, by no means do I want, intend, or desire to insult any religious group, but why would anyone name their company that? Especially when:
1) The word is used mostly in a derogatory manner against anyone that is not a muslim.
2) Your product spies on American cell phone usage?!?
I may be totally out of line here, but I call things the way I see 'em.
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Here's a link to a blog with good reasons WHY CIQ should be canned. Eset is an AV company. They are not pushing mobile software although I think they have it.
No way, no how major carriers will face fines even approaching 1% of cap value. Carrier IQ might have to fall on it's sword. But whadaya wanna bet Carrier IQ is an empty shell corporation with virtually no assets. There's been no real accountability for major corps. in the last 30+ years in the USA.
Anyone know whether some uk third party generic phones are infected with carrier IQ. ?
I think I read somewhere a reporter had contacted various uk networks who seemed to say their phones do not have or collect iq data but then again their phones are non generic.
No way, no how major carriers will face fines even approaching 1% of cap value. Carrier IQ might have to fall on it's sword. But whadaya wanna bet Carrier IQ is an empty shell corporation with virtually no assets. There's been no real accountability for major corps. in the last 30+ years in the USA.
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For what its worth, as reported on various websites, verizon said on twitter they don't use carrier iq at all. It doesn't seem to be on my DInc2, anyway.
Ironically, I know someone who has been in contact with Sprint's Exec department who have refused to comment about anything and has deferred ANY comment or discussion (even waiving ETF so the person can leave) without having the legal department present.
As Iowa said, it's gotten REAL.
__________________ Typos or odd wording??? I blame Swype for the Swypo's!
My opti shows “IQ Agent Service” as a running service and I can’t stop it or delete it. I’m not rooted, but I wonder if any rooters have tried killing it?
“Carrier IQ, however, isnt the real villain of the story. That role goes to the carriers such as AT&T and manufacturers who have authorized the installation of CIQ software on to their devices without feeling the need to inform consumers of its presence or the manner in which it tracks their usage.”
Well, it looks like VZW folks are safe?
According to GigaOM, Verizon Wireless spokesperson Jeffrey Nelson said in an email that the carrier is not a CIQ customer. "Any report that Verizon Wireless uses Carrier IQ is patently false," wrote Nelson.
I've seen some tweets about it as well but can't find them to post.
“Carrier IQ, however, isnt the real villain of the story. That role goes to the carriers such as AT&T and manufacturers who have authorized the installation of CIQ software on to their devices without feeling the need to inform consumers of its presence or the manner in which it tracks their usage.”
That's hogwash, because CarrierIQ was also spotted in all versions of iOS.
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Well, it looks like VZW folks are safe?
According to GigaOM, Verizon Wireless spokesperson Jeffrey Nelson said in an email that the carrier is not a CIQ customer. "Any report that Verizon Wireless uses Carrier IQ is patently false," wrote Nelson.
I've seen some tweets about it as well but can't find them to post.
Yeah but who's to say they don't have their own in house version or one from a different vendor...
Apparently it's not much different than the debugging software built into most computing devices. If the mobile operators are forced to remove CarrierIQ by the courts or the court of public opinion, I'm sure they'll just implement their own similar software.
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The problem with it is it is a keylogging program and it is sending that data off into the ether. Maybe the carriers aren't even logging it on their end. Who knows. It's still sending it out there and all without consent of the user.
My opti shows “IQ Agent Service” as a running service and I can’t stop it or delete it. I’m not rooted, but I wonder if any rooters have tried killing it?
Turns out that (a) it is indeed Sprint’s version of CIQ and (b) it’s not likely to intend harm, as seen here.
I just wanted to let people know, as I've noticed they have not been discussed in any news articles, but it does not appear that Virgin Mobile in the US has Carrier IQ installed on their phones (at least not on the two we own.. Optimus Slider & Blackberry Curve 8530).
Just in case someone doesn't like what carriers like Sprint has done, if you're looking to go somewhere else Virgin seems to be safe atm.
CIQ has been plainly visible in my phone’s settings since I got it a year ago. I just didn’t know what it was other than an internal app. And other than a bunch of headhunters are looking for fresh meat, I still don’t know... Y2K comes to mind, for example.
And another thing... part of my accepting the android system year ago was accepting the cloud, meaning all my synced data is kept on someone else’s ginormous hard drive in some country I never heard of -- so how can I/we even worry about privacy anymore?
And another thing... part of my accepting the android system year ago was accepting the cloud, meaning all my synced data is kept on someone else’s ginormous hard drive in some country I never heard of -- so how can I/we even worry about privacy anymore?
I thought that way, too, until I watched the video. If you watch the video, other issues become apparent:
While other services have you actually agree to terms and conditions and/or provide you with a privacy policy, Carrier IQ does neither.
Carrier IQ logs key presses uniquely. This includes individual numbers on the soft keyboard (regardless of what program you're using them for) as well as three of the four hard buttons.
Carrier IQ logs the URLs of https sites before they're sent encrypted.
Carrier IQ cannot be removed without rooting and, even then, its removal causes the entire Android system to crash. You have to root your device and then install a custom rom.
Carrier IQ has more permissions on your phone than any other application, including the ones from Google.
And another thing... part of my accepting the android system year ago was accepting the cloud, meaning all my synced data is kept on someone else’s ginormous hard drive in some country I never heard of -- so how can I/we even worry about privacy anymore?
Heres the thing. You don't have to allow anything to sync to the cloud. Is your choice. There is no choice with carrier iq
Last edited by IOWA; December 4th, 2011 at 04:11 PM.
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No way, no how major carriers will face fines even approaching 1% of cap value. Carrier IQ might have to fall on it's sword. But whadaya wanna bet Carrier IQ is an empty shell corporation with virtually no assets. There's been no real accountability for major corps. in the last 30+ years in the USA.
Thats a really good point. While reading the 'about us' on their site, it said something about they were formed by executives from all the major carriers, so the company has expertise (in mobile user analytics). So its clear that the corporation was formed as an alliance between the big carriers to benefit themselves.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aysiu
[*]Carrier IQ cannot be removed without rooting and, even then, its removal causes the entire Android system to crash.
It can be removed without crashing Android, as rherrera30 did earlier by renaming the file extensions of 8 files with 'iq' in the filename.
I don't think wanting to get rid of CIQ is paranoia. Right now, the usage might be exactly as stated.
But since money talks - if a marketing firm managed to buy in, you might get unwanted ads on the phone. Everyone complains about ads, and upsell pests so this would be valid.
Or if you use your phone as a portable credit card, a hacker would love that info.
It's called an ounce of prevention.
OTOH, if you think that aliens can pick up the keystrokes, that's paranoia.
