What does your smart phone say about you?

[lookin]

Apple's in the spotlight this week after two British software developers uncovered a hidden iPhone file that tracks and records the owner's whereabouts for up to a year. They've released an application that will let you see what your phone's got on you. Of course, anyone else who has access to your iPhone, or your unencrypted backup files, can see it too.

In other smart phone news, the ACLU is asking the Michigan State Police how they're using some high tech data extraction equipment they acquired a while back. According to the manufacturer, the UFED devices are capable of getting around user passwords and downloading "existing, hidden, and deleted phone data, including call history, text messages, contacts, images, and geotags", even mapping existing and deleted locations on Google Maps. What's more, it can do it in a couple of minutes or so.

The ACLU is asking the State Police to show how they're using the devices, and whether or not they're being used during traffic stops. The police say it will cost the ACLU upwards of half a million dollars to get the info.

I'd been planning to get an iPhone 5 when it's released later this year to finally replace my old-fashioned Samsung clamshell with its rudimentary camera and texting capabilities.

Maybe I'll hang out with my fellow cave dwellers a little while longer.

[Lucky]

This has gotten beyond my capacity to understand:

April 22, 2011, 5:48 pm

Google Says It Collects Location Data on Phones for Location Services

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/22/google-says-it-collects-location-data-on-phones-for-location-services/?hpw

Followed by this:

Google's Android mobile-phone platform faces soaring software attacks and has little control over the applications, according to security firm Kaspersky Lab.

Applications loaded with malicious software are infiltrating the Google operating system at a faster rate than hackers did with personal computers at the same stage in development, said Nikolay Grebennikov, chief technology officer for Kaspersky. The company identified 70 different types of malware in March, up from two categories in September.

"The growth rate in malware within Android is huge; in the future there will definitely be more," Grebennikov said. Kaspersky will offer security on Android in the third quarter of this year.

Hacking into mobile-phone software has become increasingly sophisticated, forcing Mountain View's Google to remove malicious applications that were available from its Android Market store last month. The applications, which were remotely disabled, gathered information about mobile devices and could be used to access personal data.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/04/21/BUL51J5G3C.DTL#ixzz1KJDI0Sqk

[Guest hitoallusa]

Lookin, a phone doesn't have to be expensive IMO. As long as you can communicate with others that is enough for me. Hugs~~~

[MsGuy]

Right you are, Hito, my 3 year old Motorola clamshell still works just fine.

[Guest hitoallusa]

"Hito" I like that.. I like Japan a lot and I think I found a new nickname.. Anyways, I have a LG clamshell. It works just fine.

Right you are, Hito, my 3 year old Motorola clamshell still works just fine.

[Guest zipperzone]

Some of these new "smart" phones are so smart they make me feel like an idiot.

I don't want a phone that makes me think I need a degree from MIT.

[BiBottomBoy]

I don't have a smart phone. Just a regular cell phone. I don't see the point in spending all that money when I only use the damn thing to send text messages.

[Guest hitoallusa]

I rarely txt. Only with escorts and a college student intern who work with me. I don't hire any more so I only get txt messages from the intern but she is pretty mad that I never reply. She's started to use emails instead to contact me.

I don't have a smart phone. Just a regular cell phone. I don't see the point in spending all that money when I only use the damn thing to send text messages.

[Guest zipperzone]

Some of these new "smart" phones are so smart they make me feel like an idiot.

I don't want a phone that makes me think I need a degree from MIT.

I forgot to mention, I recently bought a Blackberry - One of the dumbest things I have done this year.

[Lucky]

The Wall Street journal is doing a series showing all the ways that smart phones are being used to collect data on us.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704547604576263261679848814.html?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_6

[lookin]

Apple says it's a bug and all a big misunderstanding, and then proceeds to show they understand it very well by:

• • cutting the stored data down to seven days worth

• • eliminating it from backups to your computer

• • stop collecting it when you have "Location Services" turned off

• • encrypting it when you have "Location Services" turned on

They also said that some of the location data comes from cell towers that can be a hundred miles away from where you actually are, but neglected to mention that location data can (and often does) also come from a wifi point in the very same room.

The software update with the fixes should be available shortly.