Develop Bugs

Google can remotely remove apps from our phones!

This is an interesting article.
Google this week removed two applications from its Android Market, and exercised a feature that lets the company remotely delete the apps from a user's phones.
Read full article

socktug said:
This is an interesting article.
Google this week removed two applications from its Android Market, and exercised a feature that lets the company remotely delete the apps from a user's phones.
Read full article
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Old news m8

Really? I never knew they could do it.
I found it interesting anyway. Lol

cant you just reinstall the backup apk via astro?

Disappointed, Google is becoming Apple.

In no way is Google becoming apple it was a malicious app that wasn't what it said it was I am glad they look in to the apps and can pull bad ones out b4 they can do harm
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App

Which apps was that? The article doesn't say?

I don't mind them taking it from the app store, good for them doing that.
They intruded my phone. That is the exact same thing apple has been doing/does.
Maybe I liked that app and WANTED it on my phone?
And that sucks my dear friend.

ljesh said:
I don't mind them taking it from the app store, good for them doing that.
They intruded my phone. That is the exact same thing apple has been doing/does.
Maybe I liked that app and WANTED it on my phone?
And that sucks my dear friend.
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Click to collapse
So you would rather keep a malicious app that doesn't do what it says it does and can cause harm to your phone and/or steal your information?

Yes, I would rather keep a malicious app that does whatever it wants on my phone instead of Google invading your privacy.
Or lets put it this way. You better live with your malicious app instead of putting me in situation for Google to invade my privacy.
Or maybe you would like your antivirus company to have access to remove viruses from your PC? I mean, they are still doing good job, keeping your PC clean... and invading your privacy.
I (personally) am really concerned about this issue, don't know why nobody talks against this. Either you ignore it, or support it. Really strange.

ljesh said:
Yes, I would rather keep a malicious app that does whatever it wants on my phone instead of Google invading your privacy.
Or lets put it this way. You better live with your malicious app instead of putting me in situation for Google to invade my privacy.
Or maybe you would like your antivirus company to have access to remove viruses from your PC? I mean, they are still doing good job, keeping your PC clean... and invading your privacy.
I (personally) am really concerned about this issue, don't know why nobody talks against this. Either you ignore it, or support it. Really strange.
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Click to collapse
i can appreciate your position on privacy. however i find your stance invades my freedom to own a phone. you state that i should live with a malicious app so you can keep your privacy. i don't know enough about programming to tell if an app is malicious or not, so i personally don't mind allowing google to remotely remove a malicious app. if you don't like or agree with this, don't use the marketplace. you agreed to allow google to use this feature the second you entered the app market. you can manually download apps and install them to your phone outside of the marketplace and preserve your privacy.

I am NOT happy with this act of google.

ljesh said:
Yes, I would rather keep a malicious app that does whatever it wants on my phone instead of Google invading your privacy.
Or lets put it this way. You better live with your malicious app instead of putting me in situation for Google to invade my privacy.
Or maybe you would like your antivirus company to have access to remove viruses from your PC? I mean, they are still doing good job, keeping your PC clean... and invading your privacy.
I (personally) am really concerned about this issue, don't know why nobody talks against this. Either you ignore it, or support it. Really strange.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I agree that this capability of Google's sounds a bit shady, consider this:
-Privacy is the issue here. Yet, most Android users use Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Contacts, Google Docs, etc. Therefore, Google already has much of our supposedly private information. Ironic thing is that we, the users, willingly provide it to them.
-This "feature" of Android is relatively well-known. So, it's not like Google was deliberately trying to hide something. Moreover, they even came out to say that they utilized this "feature". They're certainly not obligated to do so and yet, they did it anyway.
-Apple fully controls the user experience on their iOS. All applications must be approved by Apple. The Android Market doesn't experience this sort of control from Google. So perhaps Google uses this remote kill feature as a form of last-resort control. I realistically can't fault Google for wanting some sort of control over their OS.

Google have never hid the fact they can remove malicous apps from peoples handsets. Keep in mind they can only do it, if the app was installed through the marketplace, i for one have nothing to hide so have none of the privacy issue others seem to worry about, and the ppl that say "ooh id rather have malicious software on my fone than have google wipe it" u shud think more about the people who dont want malicious code on there phone and that by comunicating with other android phones you could be passing it on

This all came up before when the iPhone first came around, and the discussion will be no different this time.
However, in custom ROM design there were options created as a killswitch to Apples God Mode.
I'd say the only way to resole the problem would be to follow in those steps.
Make an update.zip that will patch out the relevent code or application that allows google to do this. Then you make the concious choice on your own without affecting anyone else.

I think it's better that google has a feature like this, and to those people that talk about privacy.
How about a app that steals all the information stored on your phone or makes expensive calls.
Google has less impact on your privacy then those apps can do.

i dont like this either, how about (since people get notified anway) that google simply gives an advisory that appears on peoples phones stating why this app needs removing. that way you can ignore it if you want.
you know that this will be used to remove apps that the RIAA/MPAA mafia complain about - that's just a matter of time.
i'm curious if it's a 1 time thing. like they remove it, but you have the apk still and just re-install the sucker

ljesh said:
Yes, I would rather keep a malicious app that does whatever it wants on my phone instead of Google invading your privacy.
Or lets put it this way. You better live with your malicious app instead of putting me in situation for Google to invade my privacy.
Or maybe you would like your antivirus company to have access to remove viruses from your PC? I mean, they are still doing good job, keeping your PC clean... and invading your privacy.
I (personally) am really concerned about this issue, don't know why nobody talks against this. Either you ignore it, or support it. Really strange.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please, stop with the privacy bull****. During this process google never accessed any of you data of your phone, hell they never even entered your phone, but merely pressed a button that sent a request to your phone to delete the retarded app.
You guys need to stop whinning about stuff that you accepted in the first place (yes you did, by clicking "i accept those terms" when accessing the market).

Can people stop spreading FUD? You can install whatever app you want on your phone...Google can't touch them unless you got them FROM Google in the Market. If you got malicious apps from Google I guarantee you guys would be the first on the net *****ing and moaning about it.
How do I know this? From the numerous "Swype broke my multi-touch!!" posts that followed the Swype developers BEGGING you not to install it. No matter how much they said it was unfinished leaked code, fools STILL installed it and then wanted to ***** about it breaking their phone, albeit temporarily. This proves one thing...end users are usually pretty dumb. Google is covering their back as it's been proven they can't really trust their users to use sense.

Aitese said:
Can people stop spreading FUD? You can install whatever app you want on your phone...Google can't touch them unless you got them FROM Google in the Market. If you got malicious apps from Google I guarantee you guys would be the first on the net *****ing and moaning about it.
How do I know this? From the numerous "Swype broke my multi-touch!!" posts that followed the Swype developers BEGGING you not to install it. No matter how much they said it was unfinished leaked code, fools STILL installed it and then wanted to ***** about it breaking their phone, albeit temporarily. This proves one thing...end users are usually pretty dumb. Google is covering their back as it's been proven they can't really trust their users to use sense.
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quoted for truth

Lets see how fast MS will push an update now :)

now that we can sideload app's (something like a jailbreak)I am really interested how fast Microsoft will release his first wp7 update to fix this

ceesheim said:
now that we can sideload app's (something like a jailbreak)I am really interested how fast Microsoft will release his first wp7 update to fix this
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I have a suspicion MS wanted this hack out there. MS has never been much of a locked down company, like Apple is. So I see something like this happening with their blessing.

ceesheim said:
now that we can sideload app's (something like a jailbreak)I am really interested how fast Microsoft will release his first wp7 update to fix this
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Click to collapse
They won't i think imo, Look at the Xbox, We get wave bans/Yearly updates even though they have teams following the forums for what's going on.
Jtags were aloud on-line for years until recently.
I'm just happy i have another device in C# so i can continue to make games and apps to make myself laugh.
MS thrive off hackers and modders imo telling them what's wrong and what people want without risking doing it themselves or overloading this first release scaring people off like the previous WM versions. it's all open source in a hackers mind, but the hacker can't sell the modified ROM can he , MS just release an update with more features*clever really*, where's the white line ? they just wait to see what's popular, same like FSD did for the xbox imo with all the media functionality.
*thats my 2pence *

The bigger issue is that the buzz from all the 'I want local outlook sync because I am scared of the cloud' brigade and the 'I want file explorer' gang is going to kill the platform before long, Microsoft are going to have to hack about with wp7 to meet their needs which is a shame, because if people took the time to think they would realise that:
1. Cloud solutions for syncing stuff can be simple and free ( hotmail, gmail mail forwarding)
2. Their emails are in the cloud already
3. Skydrive is a simple and free way to sync docs (although office integration needs to improve)
4. In terms of privacy, if you have something private on a laptop that you connect to the Internet and someone really, really wants it, they will get it!
5. Privacy again, with a cloud connected handset that you lose, you have the option of remotely erasing it.
I feel like I am in a minority that likes the way ms are going but I worry that because of all the negative rubbish on these forums and others, wp7 will die and I will have to go back to android or worse still ios

adesonic said:
The bigger issue is that the buzz from all the 'I want local outlook sync because I am scared of the cloud' brigade and the 'I want file explorer' gang is going to kill the platform before long, Microsoft are going to have to hack about with wp7 to meet their needs which is a shame, because if people took the time to think they would realise that:
1. Cloud solutions for syncing stuff can be simple and free ( hotmail, gmail mail forwarding)
2. Their emails are in the cloud already
3. Skydrive is a simple and free way to sync docs (although office integration needs to improve)
4. In terms of privacy, if you have something private on a laptop that you connect to the Internet and someone really, really wants it, they will get it!
5. Privacy again, with a cloud connected handset that you lose, you have the option of remotely erasing it.
I feel like I am in a minority that likes the way ms are going but I worry that because of all the negative rubbish on these forums and others, wp7 will die and I will have to go back to android or worse still ios
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. I like what MS is trying to do with WP7 but I fear the worse because Balmer isn't resolved like Jobs is.
Actually I don't think it really matters because what the Market is loaded with right now is pure crap. If MS lets this continue, forget about this platform surviving.

WP7 is great, I just have technophilia lol

adesonic said:
The bigger issue is that the buzz from all the 'I want local outlook sync because I am scared of the cloud' brigade and the 'I want file explorer' gang is going to kill the platform before long, Microsoft are going to have to hack about with wp7 to meet their needs which is a shame, because if people took the time to think they would realise that:
1. Cloud solutions for syncing stuff can be simple and free ( hotmail, gmail mail forwarding)
2. Their emails are in the cloud already
3. Skydrive is a simple and free way to sync docs (although office integration needs to improve)
4. In terms of privacy, if you have something private on a laptop that you connect to the Internet and someone really, really wants it, they will get it!
5. Privacy again, with a cloud connected handset that you lose, you have the option of remotely erasing it.
I feel like I am in a minority that likes the way ms are going but I worry that because of all the negative rubbish on these forums and others, wp7 will die and I will have to go back to android or worse still ios
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't worry WP7 won't die... ease of use/speed will not need to be sacrificed for outlook connectivity or some file access

Very true I mean the info. Is more secure on microsoft or Google server than it is on ur personal computer. Don't know why people are so scared of cloud based integration. It makes life a lot easier for people who dont wanna deal with syncing stuff on their own.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

MartyLK said:
Same here. I like what MS is trying to do with WP7 but I fear the worse because Balmer isn't resolved like Jobs is.
Actually I don't think it really matters because what the Market is loaded with right now is pure crap. If MS lets this continue, forget about this platform surviving.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason the market is so flooded with rss readers and flashlight apps is because that is about all that is currently possible with the current api.
Allow multi tasking, access to the compass, side loading of files into apps and a whole world of app opportunity opens up

AceofSpades25 said:
The reason the market is so flooded with rss readers and flashlight apps is because that is about all that is currently possible with the current api.
Allow multi tasking, access to the compass, side loading of files into apps and a whole world of app opportunity opens up
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Click to collapse
I didn't say "type" of app. I was talking about the quality of those apps and the devs who are crooks being allowed to post false and misleading apps.

mwako said:
They won't i think imo, Look at the Xbox, We get wave bans/Yearly updates even though they have teams following the forums for what's going on.
Jtags were aloud on-line for years until recently.
I'm just happy i have another device in C# so i can continue to make games and apps to make myself laugh.
MS thrive off hackers and modders imo telling them what's wrong and what people want without risking doing it themselves or overloading this first release scaring people off like the previous WM versions. it's all open source in a hackers mind, but the hacker can't sell the modified ROM can he , MS just release an update with more features*clever really*, where's the white line ? they just wait to see what's popular, same like FSD did for the xbox imo with all the media functionality.
*thats my 2pence *
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to clarify on the jtag thing, it was most definitly not years, more like weeks. When the first freeboot was released it was only a few weeks later which Microsoft made changes to ban anyone in a few hours after logging on live with a jtag. Sure you could use the king kong shader hack and run a bit of custom code long before freeboot but it was nothing amazing and you could not get online with the latest dash.
I think that Microsoft only really takes quick action when it poses a serious security threat, as with the jtag it allowed custom code and modified xex's to be run online whereas with just modded firmware you cannot, and modded firmware mostly just leads to piracy and a few cheaters with modded games. So as for WP7 at the moment I dont think that they will rush an update out just to patch up this hole.

Too much investment to let it die
adesonic said:
The bigger issue is that the buzz from all the 'I want local outlook sync because I am scared of the cloud' brigade and the 'I want file explorer' gang is going to kill the platform before long, Microsoft are going to have to hack about with wp7 to meet their needs which is a shame, because if people took the time to think they would realise that:
1. Cloud solutions for syncing stuff can be simple and free ( hotmail, gmail mail forwarding)
2. Their emails are in the cloud already
3. Skydrive is a simple and free way to sync docs (although office integration needs to improve)
4. In terms of privacy, if you have something private on a laptop that you connect to the Internet and someone really, really wants it, they will get it!
5. Privacy again, with a cloud connected handset that you lose, you have the option of remotely erasing it.
I feel like I am in a minority that likes the way ms are going but I worry that because of all the negative rubbish on these forums and others, wp7 will die and I will have to go back to android or worse still ios
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi all
I don't think M$ will let WP7 die. They've invested too heavily in it to let it go. I am in the minority camp here but I think that a lot of average users quite like what is on offer. I've shown my HTC Mozart to a few people who haven't ever used a smartphone and they were all "Wow! What is that? It looks amazing!"
I think it will do OK.
Cheers
andrew-in-woking

MartyLK said:
I didn't say "type" of app. I was talking about the quality of those apps and the devs who are crooks being allowed to post false and misleading apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's the same for any app store. iTunes app store probably has the same proportion of good apps to bad as does windows phone, it's just iTunes has 100 times more apps.

andrew-in-woking said:
Hi all
I don't think M$ will let WP7 die. They've invested too heavily in it to let it go. I am in the minority camp here but I think that a lot of average users quite like what is on offer. I've shown my HTC Mozart to a few people who haven't ever used a smartphone and they were all "Wow! What is that? It looks amazing!"
I think it will do OK.
Cheers
andrew-in-woking
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i've shown my phone to a bunch of iPhone users and they like it's look and feel. i don't have them throwing their iPhones away, but they definitely see it as a good phone and perhaps when it comes to them renewing their contracts (most of them have 3GS), they might think twice about just getting "another iPhone".

Where the hell all the talk of WP7 dying come from weeks after it's launch lol...
The marketplace is riddled with people rushing to get an APP out there. Will be like anything else every few days or so when we see a good app coming out.
Yipes.

adesonic said:
The bigger issue is that the buzz from all the 'I want local outlook sync because I am scared of the cloud' brigade and the 'I want file explorer' gang is going to kill the platform before long, Microsoft are going to have to hack about with wp7 to meet their needs which is a shame, because if people took the time to think they would realise that:
1. Cloud solutions for syncing stuff can be simple and free ( hotmail, gmail mail forwarding)
2. Their emails are in the cloud already
3. Skydrive is a simple and free way to sync docs (although office integration needs to improve)
4. In terms of privacy, if you have something private on a laptop that you connect to the Internet and someone really, really wants it, they will get it!
5. Privacy again, with a cloud connected handset that you lose, you have the option of remotely erasing it.
I feel like I am in a minority that likes the way ms are going but I worry that because of all the negative rubbish on these forums and others, wp7 will die and I will have to go back to android or worse still ios
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No the whole point of using Microsoft product is the way all their BUSINESS products offer tight and nice integration. I have no problems with cloud per say (I still don't trust them with security but that is just me I guess). Many people have invested heavily in Outlook and their work and life harmony depends of Outlook. Not giving them the ability to simply sync to Outlook is just pure lazyness. I am a software developer and I can see how they have taken simple route to eliminate sync issues.
You want ppl to use cloud contacts and calendar? Fine, ask Microsoft to first provide 50% of the available fields in Outlook! It's missing the most basic field such as Anniversary for a contact! The WP7 phone has that field but the Windows Live contact doesn't.

I doubt MS will rush to close this hole, if indeed, it's classed as a hole at all. Simple fact is, this sort of stuff is good for them, generally speaking. Particularly since they'll be able to block pirated apps from using live services, it deters piracy and promotes homebrew software to fill the gaps that would take them a lot of time and effort to fill. It's much more cost-effective to get a good base out there, and let the community pick up the slack and build on top of what they provide.
The fact is there are still other, much stronger protections that negate some of the traditional disadvantages a company may have with exploits of this kind. The protection that prevents people from porting WP7 to phones that have not had the licence paid for - means MS always gets their cash. The integration of the cloud also means they can detect pirated apps much more easily - for example, a Game accessing Xbox Live can have it's legitimacy checked server-side. Has that user purchased that game from the Marketplace? No? Deny them access. It adds a premium to staying genuine, and therefore, many will. That leaves the prime use for sideloading as homebrew, unverified software. Now, because it's unverified, they don't have to go to the trouble of supporting it, ensuring backwards compatibility as they move forward at a rapid pace, but yet their platform can still do *everything* it should be able to. And frankly, right now, MS know that profit is secondary to Market Share. A strong side-loading homebrew development scene can make serious inroads to the "open" environments that they are competing against, particularly Android.

The Gate Keeper said:
it's the same for any app store. iTunes app store probably has the same proportion of good apps to bad as does windows phone, it's just iTunes has 100 times more apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right now the WP7 app store is averaging 100%. The very first app I buy from this new store and it's false. That never happened with Android Market or iPhone App Store. But it is true, I need to give it time to get filled up. I'm just peeved at the bad del I got and the lack of a response from the money grabber.

MartyLK said:
Right now the WP7 app store is averaging 100%. The very first app I buy from this new store and it's false. That never happened with Android Market or iPhone App Store. But it is true, I need to give it time to get filled up. I'm just peeved at the bad del I got and the lack of a response from the money grabber.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought all apps came with a trial period?

hounsell said:
I doubt MS will rush to close this hole, if indeed, it's classed as a hole at all. Simple fact is, this sort of stuff is good for them, generally speaking. Particularly since they'll be able to block pirated apps from using live services, it deters piracy and promotes homebrew software to fill the gaps that would take them a lot of time and effort to fill. It's much more cost-effective to get a good base out there, and let the community pick up the slack and build on top of what they provide.
The fact is there are still other, much stronger protections that negate some of the traditional disadvantages a company may have with exploits of this kind. The protection that prevents people from porting WP7 to phones that have not had the licence paid for - means MS always gets their cash. The integration of the cloud also means they can detect pirated apps much more easily - for example, a Game accessing Xbox Live can have it's legitimacy checked server-side. Has that user purchased that game from the Marketplace? No? Deny them access. It adds a premium to staying genuine, and therefore, many will. That leaves the prime use for sideloading as homebrew, unverified software. Now, because it's unverified, they don't have to go to the trouble of supporting it, ensuring backwards compatibility as they move forward at a rapid pace, but yet their platform can still do *everything* it should be able to. And frankly, right now, MS know that profit is secondary to Market Share. A strong side-loading homebrew development scene can make serious inroads to the "open" environments that they are competing against, particularly Android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree with the above.

[Q] Is a Virus scanner needed?

Lately all my friends around me have been trending using virus scanners on their phones like that lookout app. I never had to use one and I'm more technical when it comes to my phone then they are. They aren't even rooted they don't have half the amount of apps that I do or use the phone as much as me. This thing is my life.
My question is for those who are more technical then me, should we use these antivirus'? Are we in danger when downloading apps from the market directly? I scan my apk's on my pc when downloading from the net or websites so I think I'm straight. But you never know. I just want a firm answer if these things work or just kill your battery and mickery.
HTC Vision S-OFF CM6.1 Stable Oc'd to 1.5ghz on Pershoots Kernel

I installed AVG Free from the Market.
is it necessary, not sure.. but it offers more benefits than just virus scans, and I trust AVG.

A virus scanner is a huge waste of battery. There are no viruses for your phone. As far as AVG goes..... I wouldn't wish that program on my worst enemy...

in my 20+ years a using a cell phone I have never come across a virus, I have used just about every format of phones, lately there have been some reports of a virus for Android, search and read where that was found and how you can get it, basically don't download crap from some suspect website, download apps from trusted places like the market and you will be fine, in my opinion right now virus scanners are nothing but a was of space on the phone memory that use up battery slow down the phone and do nothing as there no viruses.
my $0.02 cents

I got lookout on mine. It has an anti virus built in. I mostly use the app to find my phone after I misplace it some where in my apartment.

I agree there is no need for a antivirus. If you follow any of the major
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

Android is a Linux derivative. Linux needs antivirus like a fish needs a bicycle.
Sent from a Western Union telegram.

Trojans have come out of china being injected into "unknown sources" android games (not from the market but 3rd party sources). They collect info from ur phone. Not sure if anti vrius apps pick them up now..but if u only install stuff from the market and not warez from like rapidshare or other places u should be fine
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

it is so "Windowsy" to install task killers and disease killers. I wouldnt knock the windows user --- they are a strong proud people!

Regardless where you get your apps from since it does detect malicious code in apps its worthwhile if you get apps from random locations...it (lookout) doesn't seem to slow anything down on my G2
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

Sure it's "windowsy" if your pc is super slow/out dated. But the thing is I do get apps from other sources/markets not just the android marketplace. Even downloading apk's people post on these forums can sometimes be dangerous to our phones that's why I download everything to my pc, it always scans my downloads and doesn't let me pick up a virus.
HTC Vision S-OFF CM6.1 Stable Oc'd to 1.5ghz on Pershoots Kernel

I was being very sarcastic in that last post -- its necessary in windows (i love windows) but I notice the windows mentality - people assume it needs what windows needs - its almost a built-in trait. but I like that saying -- linux needs antivirus like fish need a bicycle -- ha ha!

elracing21 said:
Sure it's "windowsy" if your pc is super slow/out dated. But the thing is I do get apps from other sources/markets not just the android marketplace. Even downloading apk's people post on these forums can sometimes be dangerous to our phones that's why I download everything to my pc, it always scans my downloads and doesn't let me pick up a virus.
HTC Vision S-OFF CM6.1 Stable Oc'd to 1.5ghz on Pershoots Kernel
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dumb question: If your PC is Windows and the phone is Linux... why would your Windows antivrus alert you to Linux viruses? I don't think .exe's work on Android.

Because an APK is just a renamed Zip file

OK I understand the APK is a renamed ZIP file, but if someone developed a virus for Android being Linux based would a Windows virus scanner recognize it ? Can windows virus scanners recognize Android virus code ? I don't think so but I am not a programmer or coder, so scanning APK's in a windows machine is useless as it will not recognize the virus code, but any ways again I have never heard or seen a virus for any cell phone make, to me right now it is useless to have one taking up processor power battery power etc

Isn't the real threat malicious apps anyways?

I say better safe than sorry, most people have more personal stuff in there phones then computers, easier access to facebook, gmail, twitter logins, contacts, pics, as technology grows on phones, so do does the threat. Phones are getting more like mini personal computers, most of people's lifes revolve around they phone, so every time I think I dont need it, I read about lookout finding possible viruses, so install it back on my phone, plus when I heard the Droid commercial mention it, it kinda convinced me I needed it
Sent from my super G'd up G2!
Bangin' dat Android Gang!
IPK all day!!! Throw dem A's up!

I downloaded lookout and the virus scanner was at the bottom of my list for reasons to dl. I just have it for when I lose it or it gets stolen.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

So, are you feeling lucky?
IMHO, an android phone is an at-risk platform. Probably moreso than your computer. Consider how much personal information you have on your phone. Then think of the havoc that a trojan could wreak on your personal life and family. If you don't think it could happen, consider what a malicious person could do with all your the phone numbers and email contacts. Perhaps not gain any money, but certainly the possibility to steal your on-line identity is there. Just think how your parents would like to get a "posthumous" goodby email...
There are people who get a kick from messing up another person's life, just for fun.

Isn't the real threat malicious apps anyways?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is exactly what I was saying in my previous post...they just detect apps that might do things outside of set regulations. (Spam email steal contacts etc.)
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

[Q] Virus for Android phones, what do you think ?

I read on the web that virus for android exist. Is it really dangerous ? What do they do on the phone ? What can I do to protect my phone ?
Thanks
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA Premium App

well, they do exist...i remember some article at androidpolice.com which said google had to remove like 50 apps from the market because they had malware in them...
i use lookout mobile security on my phone to avoid any damage...its free on the market and has some usefull features beside the malware scanner

AFAIK and remember, they are like keyloggers, and sending security sensitve data, like passwords, settings etc. to not wanted people. (read it in the same article about those malware programs removed).
I say, as long as you download trusted programs, there should be no problem.

i think it is not right

If they're gonna make viruses, they might as well make them for Apple's overpriced iPhones. Not that HTC's or Droids are cheap, but at least the source code is free, collaborative and transparent. Best of all, Android takes to heart the concept of consumer choice.
For me, I make sure that Lookout is updated, and apps I download have at least 5,000 downloads and 500 or preferably more ratings, that way I can at least be assured to a certain degree that the app's legit.

Its a pain but very unlikely that you will get them anyway. You have to be stupid to get them. I personally don't run security apps because there is no point.
Sent from RCMixS

Meaple said:
Its a pain but very unlikely that you will get them anyway. You have to be stupid to get them. I personally don't run security apps because there is no point.
Sent from RCMixS
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Click to collapse
+1 to this. Read comments from apps before install and you'll be fine.

[Q] RuFraud - How do you identify if an app is malicious?

Hey Guys,
A lot of the mobilephone blogs today are buzzing with the RuFraud Malware that was detected by Lookout Mobile and later taken down by Google from Android Market. About 22 odd apps which included apps & games too. According to Google, the end-user can see the services the apps will use before installing it in Permissions, but I usually don't go through them while installing as do most other end-users.
Now my concern is, if I've installed one of these "malicious" apps without knowledge and I want to detect that and delete them off the phone, is there any way to do so? I've performed a full-scan (SD card also) with avast! Mobile Security BETA (which btw, is kickass) but it hasn't detected anything.
I could also go through the Privacy Advisor feature on it, but that would mean me checking one-app-at-a-time which may take a while seeing as I have over 400 apps.
Anyway to detect the malware that apparently sends bulk premium SMS and racks up a huge bill? I don't have premium TXT enabled on my service since I am on Prepay & usually don't send any premium TXT but it would be nice knowing that my phone is malware free.
Any inputs would be appreciated.

well, i don't do any banking on my phone, i'm on pay as you go with the BEST mobile network...Three.co.uk...so i just whack on 15 quid a month and get unlimited everything......so i personally couldn't give a to** if any malware get's on my phone....
....nothing to get off my phone, unless they like sexy birds dressed in santa outfits, then i'm screwed, coz i'll cry if i lose them
I'd say, chill, don't be too paranoid.....b4 you download and install, look at reviews of apps......if it's only recently been uploaded to market and has no/not many reviews....google it first.
I allegedly have warez markets on my phone....allegedly.....and have never had a problem.
All I use my phone for is 99.999999% of the time browsing bulls**t on the web, messing about with fun apps, very rarely use texting or calls......so not worried.
But if your one of those that uses your phone for business/work/banking/etc...and have credit/debit cards stuff stored on there, then google the f**k out of any new app with no or few reviews....get 4,000 different virus and malware scanners on there.
Oh god, i'm dronning on and don't even know what i'm talking about now....arrghhhhh.
matt

w3bhax said:
Hey Guys,
A lot of the mobilephone blogs today are buzzing with the RuFraud Malware that was detected by Lookout Mobile and later taken down by Google from Android Market. About 22 odd apps which included apps & games too. According to Google, the end-user can see the services the apps will use before installing it in Permissions, but I usually don't go through them while installing as do most other end-users.
Now my concern is, if I've installed one of these "malicious" apps without knowledge and I want to detect that and delete them off the phone, is there any way to do so? I've performed a full-scan (SD card also) with avast! Mobile Security BETA (which btw, is kickass) but it hasn't detected anything.
I could also go through the Privacy Advisor feature on it, but that would mean me checking one-app-at-a-time which may take a while seeing as I have over 400 apps.
Anyway to detect the malware that apparently sends bulk premium SMS and racks up a huge bill? I don't have premium TXT enabled on my service since I am on Prepay & usually don't send any premium TXT but it would be nice knowing that my phone is malware free.
Any inputs would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best advice is to look at the permissions the app wants. You say mist end users don't, well then they get what they deserve really. Not being mean its just that if you keep important info in your phone then you should be more careful about what you install as a simple uninstall may not remove any malware that was installed by the app. This reason is a huge deal for Android users. Too many people wanting simple and easy and well we all know Linux based OS are neither

zelendel said:
Best advice is to look at the permissions the app wants. You say mist end users don't, well then they get what they deserve really. Not being mean its just that if you keep important info in your phone then you should be more careful about what you install as a simple uninstall may not remove any malware that was installed by the app. This reason is a huge deal for Android users. Too many people wanting simple and easy and well we all know Linux based OS are neither
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I hear you. I usually don't check permissions cuz I install apps & uninstall them after I'm done with them. For eg: a game, etc. So yeah. I did find my Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit app that I paid for on Market, infact has SMS permissions. It says "malicious apps may send SMS to premium numbers" lol when I downloaded this app, it said the dev was Electronic Arts too.