Phones who spy on you, is yours one of them?

[Ponce]

Responding to the US Senate request lead by Senator Al Franken, AT&T, Sprint, HTC, and Samsung have sent the list of all the phones with Carrier IQ spyware installed in them.
The carriers have also admitted that Carrier IQ also captured the content of text messages "under certain conditions."
Here's the complete list:
AT&T

AT&T claims about 900,000 users using phones with Carrier IQ. The software is active on eleven AT&T wireless consumer devices:
• Motorola Atrix 2
• Motorola Bravo
• Pantech Pursuit II
• Pantech Breeze 3
• Pantech P5000 (Link 2)
• Pantech Pocket
• Sierra Wireless Shockwave
• LG Thrill
• ZTE Avail
• ZTE Z331
• SEMC Xperia Play
It's also installed but not active "due to the potential for the software agent to interfere with the performance" of the following phones:
• HTC Vivid
• LG Nitro
• Samsung Skyrocket
Carrier IQ is also packaged in the free AT&T Mark the Spot application, available for Android and RIM.
Sprint

26 million active Sprint devices have the Carrier IQ software installed, says Sprint. That's almost half of all their subscribers, 53.4 million customers, so you can assume that they have it installed in all the Android phones of the manufacturers Sprint reported to the US senate:
• Audiovox
• Franklin
• HTC
• Huawei
• Kyocera
• LG
• Motorola
• Novatel
• Palmone
• Samsung
• Sanyo
• Sierra Wireless
Samsung

Samsung claims 25 million phones affected. It has directly installed Carrier IQ at the factory in the following models:
Sprint
• SPH-M800 (Samsung Instinct)
• SPH-M540 (Samsung Rant)
• SPH-M630 (Samsung Highnote)
• SPH-M810 (Samsung Instinct s30)
• SPH-M550 (Samsung Exclaim)
• SPH-M560 (Samsung Reclaim)
• SPH-M850 (Samsung Instinct HD)
• SPH-I350 (Samsung Intrepid)
• SPH-M900 (Samsung Moment)
• SPH-M350 (Samsung Seek)
• SPH-M570 (Samsung Restore)
• SPH-D700 (Samsung Epic 4G)
• SPH-M910 (Samsung Intercept)
• SPH-M920 (Samsung Transform)
• SPH-M260 (Samsung Factor)
• SPH-M380 (Samsung Trender)
• SPH-M820 (Samsung Galaxy Prevail)
• SPH-M580 (Samsung Replenish)
• SPH-D600 (Samsung Conquer 4G)
• SPH-M930 (Samsung Transform Ultra)
• SPH-D710 (Samsung Epic 4G Touch)
• SPH-M220
• SPH-M240
• SPH-M320
• SPH-M330
• SPH-M360
• SPH-P100
• SPH-Z400
T-Mobile
•T989 (Samsung Hercules)
•T679 (Samsung Galaxy W)
Cricket
• SCH-R500 (Samsung Hue)
• SCH-R631 (Samsung Messager Touch)
• SCH-R261 (Samsung Chrono)
• SCH-R380 (Samsung Freeform III)
AT&T
• SGH-i727 (Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket)
HTC

HTC preinstalled Carrier IQ spyware on about 6.3 million Android phones:
Sprint
• Snap
• Touch Pro 2
• Hero
• EVO 4G
• EVO Shift 4G
• EVO Design
T-Mobile
• Amaze 4G
AT&T
• Vivid
What is Carrier IQ?

Carrier IQ logs information about your whereabouts as well as other personal data such as browsing history, application usage and phone numbers.
The Carrier IQ application also captures the content of your text messages, according to AT&T. This happens when you are talking on the phone and you sned or receive a text message: "the CIQ software also captured the content of SMS text messages—when and only when—such messages were sent or received while a voice call was in progress." [US Senator Al Franken's response, AT&T Response (PDF), Sprint Response (PDF), Samsung Response (PDF), HTC Response (PDF), CarrierIQ response (PDF), via Verge and Business Week]

http://infectedrom.com/content.php/169-The-Complete-List-of-All-the-Phones-With-Carrier-IQ-Spyware-Installed

[Twisted Titan]

Unless you are string and styrofoam cups every phone conversation can be tracked monitored and retriewable

[Hatha Sunahara]

Doesn't say anything about Apple iPhones. I suppose they don't want to tell Al Franken how they spy on people.


Hatha

[vacuum]

Doesn't say anything about Apple iPhones. I suppose they don't want to tell Al Franken how they spy on people.


Hatha
Apple probably uses a much more advanced customized program than Carrier IQ.

[Glass]

ok so that's all well and good but how do you detect this program? Is it clearly visible in the task manager or is it a hidden app and if so how to you get rid of it?

[Ponce]

Glass, even if you take the battery out you still have the mini battery that keeps you from loosing all your numbers....so, you can carry your phone in signal proof bag.

[osprey]

Glass,
It looks like the program is well hidden.

http://news.yahoo.com/smartphone-spying-204933867.html;_ylt=Alk_DrJBG6iIAT64lGqj6tis0NUE;_ ylu=X3oDMTNqOWprN3NzBGNjb2RlA2N0LmMEcGtnA2M4OTMzZT kzLTBjMTgtMzQzNC04YWEzLTA5NWMxYzhmOWRjMgRwb3MDMQRz ZWMDbW9zdF9wb3B1bGFyBHZlcgM1ODNlOWJkYS0xYjk1LTExZT EtYWJjYS1kZjQyYzE5Mzc0MDI-;_ylg=X3oDMTFvdnRqYzJoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRw c3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ ylv=3#ugccmt-container

[Glass]

I think this topic was covered just before christmas and I looked at it then. The program does look like it's well hidden. It might be worth doing a bit more digging.

Here is a video showing what is recorded by this app.
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/11/secret-software-logging-video/

You can root most phones and install new ROM's onto the phone. This usually just means someone else's idea of what standard phone apps are installed and often times a theme for the phone as well, icons, colours font types etc. This doesn't affect firmware in most cases so the question is, is this app part of the firmware or is it a hidden app? If it's firmware it could be difficult to remove. If it's just an app doing something like rooting your phone could be enough to get rid of it.

[ximmy]

How about a list of clean phones?

[Sparky]

How about a list of clean phones?

http://newsletter.gcfonline.com/wp-content/gallery/cache/94__520x_phone.jpg

[ximmy]

http://newsletter.gcfonline.com/wp-content/gallery/cache/94__520x_phone.jpg

http://mobilenews.omio.com/wp-content/cellbooth_1.jpg

[BrewTech]

I have a dumb phone, but don't take its powers of surveillance for granted. If you have a cell phone, you can be tracked.

[Cebu_4_2]

I have an antiquated phone with no apps, no wifi etc. Nokia 6010

[Glass]

I have an antiquated phone with no apps, no wifi etc. Nokia 6010

yes dumb fone is good fone. I had one. It's the spare now. Current job is not on that list but that doesn't mean anything. Was acquired as a clean skin. I did have a dig around before in the os directories for anything suspect. Didn't see anything. Still you got to be on your toes. Every little app wants to know where you are at.

I like your avatar. I have a relative who makes the banjo sounds when they encounter someone a bit slackjawed. If someone does something dumbass stupid, that kind of thing. Kind of like doing the twilight theme. Anyways their son has taken to doing it as well. It's the funniest thing, specially when the folks do something stupid... he's right on it with banjo sounds.

[Glass]

Carrier iQ: Our Software is Only For Problem Diagnosis
http://briefmobile.com/images/articles/carrieriq-540x261.png

Amid the headlines released today on many major outlets, Carrier iQ has released a statement to the public on behalf of the company. The statement is intended as a clarification and guarantee to users regarding privacy.

According to the statement, Carrier iQ, unlike previously thought “does not record, store or transmit the contents of SMS messages, email, photographs, audio or video.” Security researchers, including the now famous Trevor Eckhart (http://briefmobile.com/breaking-carrier-iq-has-withdrawn-cease-and-desist-order-on-tevor-eckhart) previously enlightened users about the keystroke logging capabilities. Of course, there’s a difference between logging and actually shipping that information to any third party entity. According to Carrier IQ, users won’t have to worry about keystroke recording– the only data used is not private data.

Carrier iQ insists that their software is built supremely for the purpose of network and handset problem diagnosis. The software logs errors and problems, then sends them off for analysis. According to the company, this process can assist in solving network and device issues.

One question left unaddressed belongs to AT&T and Sprint. Both companies admitted that the software was present on their devices, but neither clarified whether or not users were charged for the data used when Carrier iQ software uploads analytical information to their servers. Users shouldn’t be forced to pay for data that was not used by themselves. We’re sure that AT&T and Sprint will comment on the issue within due time.

Article link @ briefmobile (http://briefmobile.com/carrier-iq-its-only-for-problem-diagnosis)

Read the full press releas (http://briefmobile.com/carrier-iq-its-only-for-problem-diagnosis#press-release-outside)

I've highlighted the bit that worries me. It isn't about the timing of when the data is sent its about the collection of the data in the first place. The data can be sent by downloading it to another device, like a policeymans computer system. According to them the info would all still be there.
(http://briefmobile.com/carrier-iq-its-only-for-problem-diagnosis#press-release-outside)

[Glass]

Sprint Disables Carrier IQ, No Longer Collecting Data
by Kevin Krause on December 16th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
As consumer and government concern continues to grow, Sprint has responded by disabling their servers responsible for collecting Carrier IQ data. As of Friday, the company has ceased using the tool to gather information in regards to network diagnostics. The news follows revelations by Sprint in a correspondence with Senator Al Franken that Carrier IQ has been deployed on over 26 million of their handsets.

A spokesperson for the carrier speaking to MobileBurn said, “we are further evaluating options regarding this diagnostic software as well as Sprint’s diagnostic needs.” An unconfirmed report says that Sprint has been in talks with manufacturing partners to have Carrier IQ removed from devices bound for their network


from phandroid (http://phandroid.com/2011/12/16/sprint-disables-carrier-iq-no-longer-collecting-data/) and elsewhere (http://www.mobileburn.com/17957/news/sprint-carrier-iq-has-been-disabled-on-our-devices)

[Glass]

EFF Reverse-engineers Carrier IQ, Requests Help in Deciphering Data

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, in a continued bid to fight against injustices related to emerging technologies, has cracked open the Carrier IQ software package. Since first contacted by Trevor Eckhart after being issued a cease and desist order from Carrier IQ, the EFF has been working hard to find answers to some of the most pressing question surrounding the data tracking suite. With the help of a few volunteers Carrier IQ has been parsed into its three layers — an app, a database, and a configuration file — and produced an app to uncover exactly what information your handset is collecting. Using the app, IQIQ, the EFF hopes to garner enough user data to blow the thing completely open. The organization points to a thread at XDA (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=20556152) that provides useful info on uncovering the Carrier IQ data on from your system. If you have a few minutes to spare or have already done your own checks into Carrier IQ on your smartphone, head on over to the source link below to find out how to help
Story @ phandroid (http://phandroid.com/2011/12/22/eff-reverse-engineers-carrier-iq-requests-help-in-deciphering-data/)

[Awoke]

I have a relative who makes the banjo sounds when they encounter someone a bit slackjawed. If someone does something dumbass stupid, that kind of thing. Kind of like doing the twilight theme. Anyways their son has taken to doing it as well. It's the funniest thing, specially when the folks do something stupid... he's right on it with banjo sounds.

My wife and I (and most of our friends) do the "Banjo" type sounds the same way, but we do one song in particular:
White Trash by a band called Southern Culture on the Skids.

We just look at each other and sing the first four notes, and everything else goes unsaid.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m3rMrva0To (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m3rMrva0To)