New Google scandal: this time, it’s Android
p2pnet view Mobiles | P2P:- “Should we be outraged now?” – Peter Smith wonders in IT World.
The ‘We’ should probably be ‘They’ — people with Android phones.
Because it’s unlikely they know Google not only has the power to penetrate their phones without their knowledge or permission, but has actually used it.
Shades of the ongoing WiFi data scooping scandal?
Smith points to a post on the Android Developers blog by Rich Cannings, Android ‘security lead’.
He states >>>
Every now and then, we remove applications from Android Market due to violations of our Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement or Content Policy. In cases where users may have installed a malicious application that poses a threat, we’ve also developed technologies and processes to remotely remove an installed application from devices. If an application is removed in this way, users will receive a notification on their phone.
Recently, we became aware of two free applications built by a security researcher for research purposes. These applications intentionally misrepresented their purpose in order to encourage user downloads, but they were not designed to be used maliciously, and did not have permission to access private data — or system resources beyond permission.INTERNET. As the applications were practically useless, most users uninstalled the applications shortly after downloading them.
After the researcher voluntarily removed these applications from Android Market, we decided, per the Android Market Terms of Service, to exercise our remote application removal feature on the remaining installed copies to complete the cleanup.
The remote application removal feature is one of many security controls Android possesses to help protect users from malicious applications. In case of an emergency, a dangerous application could be removed from active circulation in a rapid and scalable manner to prevent further exposure to users. While we hope to not have to use it, we know that we have the capability to take swift action on behalf of users’ safety when needed.
“This remote removal functionality — along with Android’s unique Application Sandbox and Permissions model, Over-The-Air update system, centralized Market, developer registrations, user-submitted ratings, and application flagging — provides a powerful security advantage to help protect Android users in our open environment” Cannings blandly adds.
Per the ‘Android Market Terms of Service’, eh?
Stay tuned.
(Cheers, YKW)
… and identi.ca
IT World – Google remotely nukes apps from Android phones, June 24, 2010
data scooping scandal – Google named in UK police investigation, June 23, 2010
Android Developers blog – Exercising Our Remote Application Removal Feature, June 23, 2010
Use free p2pnet newsfeeds for your site. It`s really easy!
Subscribe to p2pnet.net | | rss feed: http://p2pnet.net/p2p.rss | | Mobile – http://p2pnet.net/index-wml.php
Net access blocked by government restrictions? Use Psiphon from the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto. Go here for details.
June 25th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
People should never buy a device that can be remotely accessed by the company without your explicit permission. People are slowly giving up all control of the devices they own.
June 25th, 2010 at 6:54 pm
“” People are slowly giving up all control of the devices they own. “”
LoL….. Giving up controll is not even close.
You litrally HiRE the device, subscribe to updates.
Copyright / patent laws ensure you will NEVER own most devices. (( check out apple’s “”"contracts”"”) (the ones you HAVE TO agree to before using thier products, THAT you have already paid for…? wtf ?..))
June 26th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
This does not mean Google can access your phone – any more than the maker of my TopUpTV PVR (Digital TV Recorder for non UK folks) can access the library on my box. Yet somehow they can control the content on the box, and issue updates still!
Most likely Google will simply flag an application as bad then when the device checks for updates it knows to remove it! This will not allow Google to access or delete the documents on your SD card for example.
Scaremongering?