Discuss Carrier IQ and privacy?

[IOWA]

I

 

[quest7]

Carrier IQ 'Vigorously Disagrees' with Critics

Carrier IQ 'Vigorously Disagrees' with Critics | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

 

[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.

 

[adaaaam]

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.

 

[klown07]

Ok so now we need to find out more info about this keytracer thing

 

[mikedt]

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.

There has been talk of this over at AndroidCentral..
keytracer - Android Forums at AndroidCentral.com
...a poster seems to think it might part of Samsung's Touchwiz.

Maybe it has something to do with the pattern unlock feature that Samsung phones have.

 

[momentoid]

FYI, I do not have Samsung's Touchwiz. I was thinking Keytracer was part of Android, but it seems some devices with unofficial ROMs do not have it.

Just to be clear, I have Android 2.1, Sprint's latest update on Samsung Moment. May be future Android releases are more cleaned up about Permissions.

 

[mikedt]

FYI, I do not have Samsung's Touchwiz. I was thinking Keytracer was part of Android, but it seems some devices with unofficial ROMs do not have it.

Yeh, my Samsung Galaxy S with CM7 doesn't have it.

 

[jefboyardee]

Voodoo Carrier IQ detector

This app's goal is to let you find out as easily as possible if your Android device hosts CarrierIQ rootkit or not.

 

[zuben el genub]

What's Samsung Mobil Tracker? I rooted the phone and canned it with Titanium. SGS4G on TMO.

Don't see Keytracer, but I canned Swype, too.

 

[jerofld]

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.

 

[WhizGidget]

I'm stock, HTC Incredible on Verizon, updated to Gingerbread 4.08.605.2 and I don't have a service for IQ Agent Service running on my phone...

So... anything else I should look for? I really don't want to root just to find out if I have this...

 

[jerofld]

I'm stock, HTC Incredible on Verizon, updated to Gingerbread 4.08.605.2 and I don't have a service for IQ Agent Service running on my phone...

So... anything else I should look for? I really don't want to root just to find out if I have this...

The app that jefboyardee linked is in beta, but claims it has some success in identifying CIQ.

 

[eyebeam]

Predictably. the finger pointing has started within the unholy trinity of Sprint, HTC & CIQ.

HTC states Carrier IQ on HTC EVO 3D and 4G is entirely Sprint's fault

Carrier IQ points finger at Sprint

 

[klown07]

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.

 

[jgreetham]

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.

 

[A.Nonymous]

Predictably. the finger pointing has started within the unholy trinity of Sprint, HTC & CIQ.

HTC states Carrier IQ on HTC EVO 3D and 4G is entirely Sprint's fault

Carrier IQ points finger at Sprint

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.

 

[rherrera30]

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.

 

[Crashdamage]

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.

 

[jerofld]

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.

 

[Rovers]

Not present on my Galaxy S, but then it has CM7.

I wouldn't expect it to be visible in user accessible form.

Have you tried Eckart's detection tool: xda-developers - View Single Post - [DEV|APPv7] CIQ / HTC & Google Checkin / HTC loggers / Tell HTC Info & Removal?

BTW, people, Apple's iPhones and iPads have it too! And Apple uses the same lame 'defense': "we haven't activated it".

Yeah, right.

Carrier IQ references discovered in Apple's iOS | The Verge

 

[zuben el genub]

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.

CarrierIQ, keylogging and mobile payment systems | ESET ThreatBlog

 

[zapjb]

I think it's only a matter of time before CarrierIQ is sued into oblivion and carriers face some heavy duty fines.

EDIT: AND BAM!

Phone 'Rootkit' Maker Carrier IQ May Have Violated Wiretap Law In Millions Of Cases - Forbes

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.

 

[Mk1]

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.

 

[IOWA]

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.

Hmm.. maybe.. maybe not. But "shit just got real"

Carrier IQ, HTC, Samsung hit with class-action lawsuits