Guess What: There‘s an App to Remove That Smartphone Program That’s Spying on You
- Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:29pm by
Liz Klimas
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Yesterday, we reported that a developer identified a program pre-installed on millions of popular smartphones that logs data and keystrokes, including things like phone numbers dialed, text messages and encrypted web searches. Trevor Eckhart who found the semisecret program, which he notes is awfully hard to remove, has two apps to help you identify and remove it.
The company that runs the program, Carrier IQ, has said it doesn’t read messages or other personal information but tracks metrics that indicate phone performance, such as calls dropped and poor signal quality. Even still, Eckhart created a free app that helps users see if they have the program installed on their phone and another app that costs $1 to remove it.
But, Gizmodo reports that these apps come with several caveats:
- You have to be rooted in order for these to work. And if you’re rooted, I would bet that you’re running something like Cyanogen, which isn’t going to have Carrier IQ. But please, test away.
- The program is only confirmed to work on a few devices.
- I would be extremely careful about using the “pro version” that is designed to remove CIQ, because, again, it’s only confirmed to work on a few devices, and there’s a very real chance you could screw up your phone something major. It’s better to just use one of the testing programs, and if you test positive for Carrier IQ, I’d recommend installing a custom ROM (if available for your phone) that doesn’t have it.
Extreme Tech offers these instructions to using the identifying app:
If you’re using an Android phone or tablet, [...] as this is an off-market app (an APK installer), you will need to push it to your device manually. The easiest way to do this is to email the APK to yourself, then download the attachment on your phone. If that doesn’t work, you need to install the Android SDK and use ADB. Your phone needs to be rooted, too (yes, carriers do not make this easy — to root your phone, Google “how to root PHONE_MODEL_HERE_”).
Hit “CIQ Checks” (see right) and the app will tell you if it’s installed. Pay $1 and the app will try to remove it for you (this doesn’t always work, though). Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be any other way to disable CIQ on Android devices. Carriers like AT&T and Sprint will almost certainly provide some kind of workaround in the next few days, though; the clamoring crowd is impossible to ignore at this point.
If you’re using an iPhone or iPad, head into Settings > General > About > Diagnostics & Usage, and click “Don’t Send.”
If you’re not interested in getting an app to see if you have the program, Gizmodo also pulled together a list of devices on which the software has been identified. Some of them like Verizon, Nokia and Windows had denied that the program was on their phones, but Gizmodo reports that it was in actually found the program on all these manufacturers’ devices. Among the phones that don’t have it are Kindle Fire, Motorola Photon and HTC G2 Thanks.
Gizmodo does point out that in the list they have developed thus far, they only have been identifying Carrier IQ on phones, not other programs with a similar function that potentially could be present.
In has become apparent that Carrier IQ works differently depending on the phone. For example, Gawker reports that the amount of information collected on iPhones and other Apple devices is not as extensive compared to other platforms:
On most Android, Nokia and BlackBerry devices, Carrier IQ re-transmits a wealth of data, including your web searches and traffic, keystrokes, texts, and GPS location. On the iPhone and iPad, the situation is not nearly so dire. On Apple devices, Carrier IQ only reports your exact location and whether you’re making a phone call — information your carrier already has in less precise form – and even then only does so if you’ve enabled certain settings.
After Eckhart released information and manuals about the program last week, he was soon issued a “cease and desist” request from the company and a threat of legal action. The Electronic Frontier Foundation came to Eckhart‘s aid saying Carrier IQ’s requests were baseless and the company eventually backed off and issued an apology. It still maintains that does not use the software to record keystrokes, provide tracking tools, inspect or report content of communications, or provide real-time data to any customer.
Update: Here’s another app, Gizmodo reports, to help you find out if your Android phone has Carrier IQ.
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hologram5
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 10:59amOne thing that’s good to know people, Windows Phone 7 DOES NOT HAVE THIS APP. They don’t spy on you, they don’t log what you do. They DO, however, send browsing information to Microsoft and you CAN turn this feature off.
Report Post »drkmagneto
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 6:04am@Pheonixdragon Where is a list of all these programs which where installed on your computer which everyone else could look for? It would be most helpful!
Report Post »SoonerBorn68
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 4:50amThat was a dollar well spent. Whether or not Carrier IQ doesn’t in fact collect all the data cited is immaterial They still have the potential.
Report Post »historyforgotten
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 4:10amThe Corporate Government Seems to be Acting like the CIA.
Report Post »Which do you prefer…a Corporate Run Government or a Peoples Run Government?
At Least we can Vote in a Government of the People. We Can‘t Vote on CEO’s, in a Corporate Run Government.
Our Country is being taking over by Trojan Horses, in the Guise of Multi-National Corporations, promising Wealth and Happiness to All Good Little, Americans Laborers.
If a Corporation Owns an Out of Country Bank Account…they are not American. GE, Haliburton, Boeing, Exxon, NewsCorps, Goldline(the Golden Idol), Etc.
THE CORPORATE GOVERNMENT in Charge of the PEOPLES GOVERNMENT.
LeftyLieDetector
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 2:47amThis whole thing is a bunch of paranoid BS:
Carrier IQ disputes spying accusations; security researchers agree
December 1, 2011 | 6:48 pm
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/12/carrier-iq-privacy.html
Report Post »last frontier
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 11:53pmDont worry when we get a Repubeican president the Libs will be freaking out all over the place thinking that they are being spied upon by the right wing conspiracy the Libs and the ACLU will be firing lawsuits left and right.
Report Post »smokey888x2
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 11:27pmOne giant group law suit would be good or maybe 50 of them
or how about OcATT
Report Post »CulperGang
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:55pmstart>run>cmd>netstat shows all the ip addresses on your pc
Report Post »vampiric aristocracy
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:46pmIf you run any windows OS as part of the deal microsoft made with the US GOVERNMENT,In 2002,microsoft allowed,secretly,access to users file and monitor keystrokes through a harddrive file called STAT,whether online or not,there a processor connect that allows the government through system access,to see what people do on their pc’s. Its true,and it cannot be removed.
Report Post »PheonixDragon
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:05pmAlthough Microsoft did sign an agreement with the US govt to give the govt a “backdoor” into your system, there are still ways to prevent such data from being accessible by the govt.
Report Post »One of these ways is to search your system for any programs that allow this data to be “leched” from your system. To find such programs do the following:
Click start and then type into the search bar, the name of the program you wish to find. If the program is on your system, you can find it. This is because Microsoft did allow it’s OS system, regardless of which OS is installed, to function as it normally would, thereby giving the user the right to control what is installed on the users computer. I have used this search program to find over 19 different keystroke apps installed on my comp, which were installed, without my knowledge, back when I originally installed Windows 7, (64bit edition). I currently have no keystroke programs ion my machine.
independentvoteril
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 12:11amwouldn’t you have to know the name of the program to type it in??
Report Post »Southernsoul
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:24pmIt amazes me just how much privacy we are all to willing to give up for so called security.
The phrase, I have nothing to hide, aggravates me to no end. What a mindless comment to make. Using that logic, I’ve not been mugged or robbed, so why have a police force? Morons.
Report Post »Ramv36
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:42pmExactly, any time someone uses the “I have nothing to hide” argument, I ask them to remove their clothes immediately. Why not, you’ve got nothing to hide, right? Makes them think…..and sometimes that is the hardest part.
Report Post »jb.kibs
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:38pmwait, i haven’t been robbed or mugged either… why do we need a police force?
Report Post »PheonixDragon
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:08pmTo make it obvious: “I have nothing to hide!” As for having me strip, you can watch me strip when I go take a shower.
Report Post »When ever I hear someone making that statement, I ask: “Are you willing to sign an agreement allowing me to do a detailed search of your records, from birth to present date?” They usually answer: “No.” Nuff said.
jespasinthru
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:17pmThe Smartphone in your purse or pocket is tracking your every move for “them”. Duh!
Report Post »usernametaken
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 6:52pmAHA…The voices in my head were right…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW7YqttuQmE
Report Post »kurwa
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 6:35pm25 percent of children in the usa live below or at the poverty line. Who’s fault is this?
Report Post »ENTP
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 6:56pmtheir parents.
Report Post »UrbanCombatSurvivor
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:06pmENTP wins.
Report Post »PingPongPing
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:18pmyour fault, mister.
Report Post »Bonnieblue2A
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:19pmMichelle Obama could share her lobster dinners and $10 million vacations with them.
Report Post »kurwa
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:52pmbzz! wrong.. it is the usa’s fault
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:50pmDepends on how high the poverty line is, they reset it every few years, usually higher than the rate of inflation. The vast majority of our enlisted men’s families now qualify for Federal Assistance. Whose fault is this?
Report Post »kurwa
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 6:02amits laisre-faire capitalisms fault
Report Post »yougottabekidding
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 7:37amkurwa
So if you can not afford a car, you can not put gas in it, afford the repairs needed, I guess the only thing to do is set it aside and tell your neighbors they have to take care of it cause its their fault that you decieded to be irresponsible
Report Post »If you can not afford to take care of children why woukd you have them. Thats like obtaining a dog then tying it out side in the elements ignoring it and not giving it food or water. Forgot more money
Detroit paperboy
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 6:19pmIs there an app to remove our national hemmorhoid from our national ass ??? JIMMY THE ROID CARTER ……
Report Post »ByrdDogX
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:49pmCM7 on Moto Atrix here. No worries on my part.
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:49pmSaying a smartphone is spying on you is like saying the internet, TV, or your car is spying on you. Likewise it’s similar to blaming the gun for the murder. If we’re gonna talk about it, let’s name “who” not “what” is doing the spying.
Report Post »UrbanCombatSurvivor
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:09pmI think you’re confusing different things here. SPYWARE is not the same as owning a computer. Most people have a reasonable expectation that their phone, or computer, doesn’t have software on it pre-installed from the factory that is designed to spy on them. Having said that, computers have more factory installed spyware than most people realize, but that’s a different story. I wipe any new computer I get and install clean with my own disks for that very reason.
Asking WHO is spying is a different topic, and is valid, but it‘s ignorance in the extreme to say we should worry about who is spying but not how they’re doing it.
Report Post »Mike1954
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:41pmDitto
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:53pm@Meyvn
Report Post »Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:49pm
Saying a smartphone is spying on you is like saying the internet, TV, or your car is spying on you. Likewise it’s similar to blaming the gun for the murder. If we’re gonna talk about it, let’s name “who” not “what” is doing the spying
****
The WHITE HOUSE TECHNOLOGY CZAR??
gmoneytx
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:49pmnot sure what “root” means, but big brother can pin point a person with a satellite anyway, so personally I don’t give a damn, we have bigger problems to worry about…like the collapse of America.
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:52pmThe root account is the top level administrative account with all privileges on most, if not all, unix systems. But I’m with you. We have bigger problems.
Got root?
Report Post »TexasHunter
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:54pmAmen to that !
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:56pmMore like… Got Freedom?
Report Post »UrbanCombatSurvivor
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:10pmWhen you root your phone, you’re wiping out the operating system that came pre-installed on the phone and putting a fresh, clean copy of an operating system of YOUR choosing, without all of the hidden spyware and aps that factories hide on there.
Report Post »