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FBI warning

zuben el genub

zuben el genub

Extreme Android User
FBI Issues Mobile Malware Warning, Talks Android and Safety Tips

The article didn't seem to be too biased, it mentioned that the FBI didn't go far enough in which OS some of this targeted. There's malware for all.
This bugs me:

Jailbreak or rooting is used to remove certain restrictions imposed by the device manufacturer or cell phone carrier. This allows the user nearly unregulated control over what programs can be installed and how the device can be used. However, this procedure often involves exploiting significant security vulnerabilities and increases the attack surface of the device. Anytime a user, application or service runs in
 
never been a fan of Jailbreak or rooting. i mean how do you know if custom roms are safe? people do tons of personal things on phones these days. Like paying billls, entering personal information, money transfer, keeping password and so on.

Or

Custom roms are actually blocking your info?keeping it private? Maybe that's why they are warning? or having a panic attack ? not enough info been sent out lately with those roms..

Who do you trust?
 
Skyroket said:
never been a fan of Jailbreak or rooting. i mean how do you know if custom roms are safe? people do tons of personal things on phones these days. Like paying billls, entering personal information, money transfer, keeping password and so on.

Or

Custom roms are actually blocking your info?keeping it private? Maybe that's why they are warning? or having a panic attack ? not enough info been sent out lately with those roms..

Who do you trust?
Click to expand...

I think they are concerned about the limitless limitations ( ;) ) of android and how much a user can really do that scares them.

I mean who just heard about the Mobile monitoring system Apple is implementing where the Police/Government can shut down your phone in certain areas where crimes have taken place and such...

It will be a dark day when android doesn't allow customization. I highly doubt anything will happen, considering, the real reason Android is so popular is a lot of it is the customization behind it. I feel if it lost this aspect then most people would just flock to Apple...
 
We can thwart desires for total control so we are "terrorists" that think evil thoughts. :p

I don't like the term sheeple, but I wonder if powers that be aren't trying to force a nation of group-think. Saw an article about how certain words or behavior made you a potential terrorist. One marketing idiot said that about the "do not track" in IE10.

It's getting like the paranoia during the cold war. Everyone was building bomb shelters and looking for commies under every rock.
 
argedion said:
Government, Hackers,
Government Hackers
Click to expand...
;)
But yeah, I'm thinking the TL;DR of this would be:
"Would you run your computer as root/administrator for everything? No, then don't do it with your phone."
-FBI Security Folks.

:p

EDIT: I should note that I personally think it's almost always a good idea when someone brings up security for the general public.
 
Sounds like just another excuse to lock our phones down even more than they have been. "it's a security issue, we're doing it for your own good." Sound about right?

I've never heard of a custom ROM being used as a way to insert a trojan malware. That is an interesting concept. I'm surprised it hasn't come up before. Or maybe it has, I just haven't heard about it.
 
The general public doesn't understand. They seem to think that malware is spread if I just dial their phone number. It's like: "EEK, they are coming to get me!, Protect me!"

If the general public was reasonable, they would understand the consequence of their actions/choices and we'd have no use for Snopes.

It's also the tactic of scare the hell out of everybody to get what you want.
 
Personally I think it's another case of a bloated bureaucracy speaking to the "lowest common denominator". The question isn't should you or can you run with admin rights all the time, but *do* you? Most home users do and probably don't even realize it.

We recently had a junior admin request that their user account be added to the admin and domain admin groups because it was too much of an inconvenience to have to elevate privileges every time they needed to perform and admin task. Needless to say, they have made a significant career change. :eek:

Those of us who understand the security risks, are endowed with a modicum of common sense and follow reasonable practices are at minimal risk for malware and intrusion. Your common neophyte who gives root access to every app and starts messing about with back alley roms is going to be compromised pretty quickly.

The article presents a typical organizational philosophy of "If you can't educate 'em, scare the pants off 'em."
 
Gmash said:
Sounds like just another excuse to lock our phones down even more than they have been. "it's a security issue, we're doing it for your own good." Sound about right?

I've never heard of a custom ROM being used as a way to insert a trojan malware. That is an interesting concept. I'm surprised it hasn't come up before. Or maybe it has, I just haven't heard about it.
Click to expand...

I've come across Chinese Android devices that have censoring built-in, they won't let you look at certain websites. And this was from a supposedly reputable Shenzhen manufacturer. The only fix apparently is to root them. Could well be spying on you as well, government back-door. It often happens with new PCs.

I bet the FBI would love to have a US Government approved back-door into everyone's smart-devices, and so would the Chinese Government no doubt.
 
mikedt said:
I've come across Chinese Android devices that have censoring built-in, they won't let you look at certain websites. And this was from a supposedly reputable Shenzhen manufacturer. The only fix apparently is to root them. Could well be spying on you as well, government back-door. It often happens with new PCs.

I bet the FBI would love to have a US Government approved back-door into everyone's smart-devices, and so would the Chinese Government no doubt.
Click to expand...
60 Minutes recently ran a story on Huawei, you can find it on YouTube. Apparently, the Chinese government has an office right inside Huawei headquarters. I'm pretty sure the government gets whatever they want put into the phones, at least inside China.
 
This just in: 2 months after Dutch install spyware everywhere, the linux desktop market grows ten-fold! ;)

I'm sure some hacker will/would bypass anything the gov't would want to install.
 
jingjing-chacha.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jing_Jing_and_Cha_Cha
 
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