Hi everyone,
Just wanted to alert you to something I found today. I was woken up by an Amber alert going off like crazy on my new phone. Tried to log into T-Mobile's site but their "My T-Mobile" site was actually down--probably from the volume of people logging in to try to adjust their preferences.
Turns out that their Live Chat support person had me "Force Stop" the bundled CMAS app that was included with the phone by default. Looking into this was interesting to say the least. FEMA controls the WEA (Wireless Emergency Alert) system and this app fronts those messages... but then why would they also need more than just the right to send an SMS...?
Take a look at the rights this one's been given: directly call phone numbers (this may cost you money), read phone state and identify, receive SMS, take pictures, coarse location, read call log, read contact data, write call log, write contact data, modify/delete SD card contents, read the contents of your SD card, disable key lock, use accounts on the device, view configured accounts, read terms you added to the dictionary, change system display settings, modify secure system settings, connect and disconnect from Wi-Fi, control Near Field Communication, Full Internet access, View Wi-Fi state, access Bluetooth settings, pair with Bluetooth settings, Automatically start at boot, close other apps, draw over other apps, control vibrator, prevent phone from sleeping, write to user defined dictionary, set wallpaper, change your audio settings, modify global system settings, read Home screen settings and shortcuts, write Home screen settings and shortcuts.
Android -> Menu button -> Manage Applications -> CMAS -> Force stop
Just wanted to alert you to something I found today. I was woken up by an Amber alert going off like crazy on my new phone. Tried to log into T-Mobile's site but their "My T-Mobile" site was actually down--probably from the volume of people logging in to try to adjust their preferences.
Turns out that their Live Chat support person had me "Force Stop" the bundled CMAS app that was included with the phone by default. Looking into this was interesting to say the least. FEMA controls the WEA (Wireless Emergency Alert) system and this app fronts those messages... but then why would they also need more than just the right to send an SMS...?
Take a look at the rights this one's been given: directly call phone numbers (this may cost you money), read phone state and identify, receive SMS, take pictures, coarse location, read call log, read contact data, write call log, write contact data, modify/delete SD card contents, read the contents of your SD card, disable key lock, use accounts on the device, view configured accounts, read terms you added to the dictionary, change system display settings, modify secure system settings, connect and disconnect from Wi-Fi, control Near Field Communication, Full Internet access, View Wi-Fi state, access Bluetooth settings, pair with Bluetooth settings, Automatically start at boot, close other apps, draw over other apps, control vibrator, prevent phone from sleeping, write to user defined dictionary, set wallpaper, change your audio settings, modify global system settings, read Home screen settings and shortcuts, write Home screen settings and shortcuts.
Android -> Menu button -> Manage Applications -> CMAS -> Force stop