Droid brings out the worst in open source

[Derf]

"HALF THE FREE APPS ARE SENDING OUT PRIVATE INFORMATION" this is not an
alarmist point of view, this is documented! read on

Everyone loves to bash iPhone and the fact that it is not open source. That debate
ended a long time ago but some still do not see the warning signs. Open source is
only as good as the app you buy. And if it is free it is even more scary.

I know every app is not giving out my personal info due to regs and the app approval process of the EVIL APPLE on my iPhone...But this scares me as lots of people in my
family have Droids.

"The prototype code was tested against 30 randomly selected, popular Android apps that use location, camera, or microphone data. The software flagged 105 instances in which these applications transmitted tainted data. The researchers concluded that 37 of those instances – just over one-third -- were legitimate. Fifteen of the apps reported users' locations to remote advertising servers. Seven collected the device ID and, sometimes, the phone number and the phone’s SIM. In all, two thirds of the applications in our study used sensitive data suspiciously," the paper concludes."

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/092910-android-privacy.html?hpg1=bn

This is not news source trying to get ratings...This is NetworkWorld.com!

[Fighting_falcon_51]

That is actually a very interesting article. But this doesn't just pertain to Android OS's though this can happen with Windows, iOS, OSX and just about any operating system out there. Whenever you download any application make sure you know exactly what the app is all about.

As for Android there are some lines of defense before you install the app. Before you install it you get a list of what information/services the app wants you use. If you're installing a notepad app and it is asking for you GPS location that should raise a red flag. Also Google runs criminal backround checks on all app developers.

As far as this study goes I have to wait until I hear more results (more than just 30 out of 50,000 apps) and from other places.

This does raise a red flag for big companies like Apple and Google and they should do everything in their power to prevent abuse of apps.

This shouldn't discourage people from the world of open source though.

[Derf]

While I have been in the PC support world for over 20 years... I can tell you that it is a very big deal. If you have an app to tell where you have been online and send it without the users knowledge, it is called spyware and sometimes could even be a virus *tho rare*. There are apps to look for it and let you know it is on your pc. It does not affect Macs for the most part.
With the Evil iOS that apple developed, it is almost impossible to install software that will do this as apple software QC will not allow apps to enter the appstore unless you intentionally Jailbrake the OS like I have. I am aware of what I am installing and know by whom it was made before installing. Open source means that ANYTHING can be added to the marketplace.



This does raise a red flag for big companies like Apple and Google and they should do everything in their power to prevent abuse of apps.

Apple does and that is what people did not like about Apple
Android is suppose to be control less as nobody feels Apple should be able to choose what is a good app or not. That is the basis for the Android OS

This shouldn't discourage people from the world of open source though.

I believe in open source....I am a PC user. I just do not trust Open source on a phone. The Android is great, Security holes are not and not having anyone regulate the apps is a big problem. Look at what happened when banking apps came out for Android. If information was being given out on an iPhone or if Banking information with account numbers, logins and passwords were being sent without knowledge on an iPhone it would have been front page on every tech website and mag on the shelf.

and as for knowing what your doing when you install an app will only happen with less than 10% at best of the users.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9143830/Fishy_Android_apps_may_have_been_malware_says_rese archer

Apple is not immune from fraud as people have had money stolen from iTunes. It is the world we live in. My wife had Android and has apps that are Malware. I am sure of it. I just do not know which apps. How many free apps do you have?