Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: ITSec on November 16, 2016, 02:32:49 PM
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A friend of mine on another forum caught this before I did (credit to him).
If you purchase a phone, particularly one of the unlocked ones, from unconventional sources you may be exposed to software that will put your privacy at risk - and tell the Chinese all about you. See http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/11/chinese-company-installed-secret-backdoor-on-hundreds-of-thousands-of-phones/ (http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/11/chinese-company-installed-secret-backdoor-on-hundreds-of-thousands-of-phones/)
It's a more extreme example of some of the concerns that have previously been raised about phones, tablets, laptops, etc. made in China, especially when those devices are sold in the same form in multiple markets with different laws. Functions that are accepted - even required - in markets like China, India, and Africa are simply not acceptable in Europe or North America.
For anyone who wants to avoid such issues, here's a few tips:
- Buy your phone from a North American supplier, retailer or carrier rather than on eBay or Amazon - especially if the seller is a 'marketplace' seller rather than the website itself. Sites like BestBuy, Newegg and others will often sell items on their website themselves, but also allow others (who are not well vetted) to sell products. The only concern the website's owners have is whether the actual marketplace vendor behaves well as a seller (i.e., no complaints of fraud, non-delivery, etc.).
- If you do buy an off-brand phone, the first thing you should do is 'jailbreak' it and remove all software you are not actually going to use. While this won't change the loaded firmware completely, it will (in a case such as this) remove the channel used by the firmware to link back to the Chinese-based servers.
- Only install apps from vendors and locations you trust, and only when you have a very clear idea of what the app will be doing.
- Avoid enabling installation of software from sites other than Google Play, the iStore, etc.
- Be draconian in limiting apps' access to data, communications channels, and location info unless the app clearly needs these things. When you get prompted "App X needs access to" don't just hit ACCEPT - read the list and think about it.
- Install an anti-malware solution on your phone. Some are free, some are paid; some monitor and block unauthorized communication by apps. What's available varies by platform.
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Maybe this should be merged with the "Isn't Modern Technology Amazing" thread. It's sort of the "other side" of that issue.
The technology that I DO use has complicated my life enough, and made it as expensive as I can stand. The cost/benefit (for me) of going through all of what you describe is not attractive to me ... !
Lannis