The oversight is allowing an app (a wallpaper app!) that has sent private information from millions of users to a server China.
Fact check:
Quote:
Lookout Clarifies Accusations Against ?Suspicious? Wallpaper App
...
Now at first glance, the story came off a little scary and was quickly picked up by over a dozen major news outlets, all jumping on the ?Android has no control? bandwagon. And then today happened.
AndroidTapp and Android Central contacted the developer of the app in question, finding out that the report is apparently, complete BS. In fact, they have thrown together a step-by-step visual guide plus an interview explaining the absurdity of the claims made by Lookout who has now clarified their claims after their initial stance was called into question.
Amazing how years of battling against organized crime stealing people's personal info goes up in smoke because people fall in love with irresponsible products and value convenience over safety.
Apple and Google releasing internet appliances without strict personal data protection is a huge step backwards. You may love that your "apps" automatically slurp up your contacts, but I am NOT happy to that my friends who use iPhones/Pads are unwittingly exposing my contact info to international data criminals (such as the Chinese incident on record), and that it's called a "feature," and that I have NO way of stopping them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LewysBlackmore
You can't live in a reinforced nuclear-resistant bunker AND have big bay windows that give you a lovely view of the neighborhood, and instant access to everything. You pick and choose what you desire as your user experience.
You can in fact lock-down both the Android phones and the iPhone. You can choose to NOT access the internet which is by far the largest attack vector for these devices. You can choose to not load any apps that allow access to any user data on the phone. You can choose to not text. It's all about your choices. But you HAVE to choose, security or convenience. They are NOT mutually incompatible, but darn close.
You're missing the point of scHAMMER's comment, which is that unless you take drastic measures, you do NOT have control over your own personal information being strewn all over the place. Why? Because OTHER PEOPLE (your "friends") who enter your personal information into their devices are now making it available to whatever apps they use.
Comments
The oversight is allowing an app (a wallpaper app!) that has sent private information from millions of users to a server China.
Fact check:
Lookout Clarifies Accusations Against ?Suspicious? Wallpaper App
...
Now at first glance, the story came off a little scary and was quickly picked up by over a dozen major news outlets, all jumping on the ?Android has no control? bandwagon. And then today happened.
AndroidTapp and Android Central contacted the developer of the app in question, finding out that the report is apparently, complete BS. In fact, they have thrown together a step-by-step visual guide plus an interview explaining the absurdity of the claims made by Lookout who has now clarified their claims after their initial stance was called into question.
http://www.droid-life.com/2010/07/30...wallpaper-app/
See also the only publication that bothered to interview the developer, which includes links to Lookouts backpedaling from their original claims:
Android Wallpaper Apps Falsely Accused of Spyware and Stealing Sensitive User Data [FUD]
http://www.androidtapp.com/android-w...user-data-fud/
Amazing how years of battling against organized crime stealing people's personal info goes up in smoke because people fall in love with irresponsible products and value convenience over safety.
Apple and Google releasing internet appliances without strict personal data protection is a huge step backwards. You may love that your "apps" automatically slurp up your contacts, but I am NOT happy to that my friends who use iPhones/Pads are unwittingly exposing my contact info to international data criminals (such as the Chinese incident on record), and that it's called a "feature," and that I have NO way of stopping them.
You can't live in a reinforced nuclear-resistant bunker AND have big bay windows that give you a lovely view of the neighborhood, and instant access to everything. You pick and choose what you desire as your user experience.
You can in fact lock-down both the Android phones and the iPhone. You can choose to NOT access the internet which is by far the largest attack vector for these devices. You can choose to not load any apps that allow access to any user data on the phone. You can choose to not text. It's all about your choices. But you HAVE to choose, security or convenience. They are NOT mutually incompatible, but darn close.
You're missing the point of scHAMMER's comment, which is that unless you take drastic measures, you do NOT have control over your own personal information being strewn all over the place. Why? Because OTHER PEOPLE (your "friends") who enter your personal information into their devices are now making it available to whatever apps they use.
Does everyone (anyone??) else understand this?