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Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

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Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#271

Post by kerberos84 »

cube2222 wrote: post #101
katastic wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>And? How does that matter? What's dangerous in them collecting my location information? What's dangerous about them compiling your medical history? Who are you afraid of? Oh wait, that's a HIPAA violation. I wonder if they keep track of the location of every doctor's office you visit... and that abortion clinic... and that methadone clinic. Surely, nothing to lose there. The only information that isn't hackable, is…

I do think that people wanting to break into my medical history, could much easier just break into the system where my doctors hold my medical documentation, at least that's 100x easier than breaking into Google. The medical clinics have to check my ID anyways, so they have all the info about me. As for the second one: yes, if I'd be doing something inherently illegal, having a phone with Google on it could be kind o…

Well the problem is they don't need to hack in to google. Google is more than happy to sell your data to insurance companies for a reasonable $$$

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#272

Post by dTal »

KozmoNau7 wrote: post #261
lemagedurage wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple provides a black box with iOS, they have full control. Maybe the next iOS update comes with privacy intrusion because it's more lucrative. A more sensible way of dealing wirh the issue would be to use an open source Android version like AOSP or LineageOS, not run proprietary gapps, and replace its functionality with F-Droid, MicroG and Yalp-store. Your location will stay out of Apple's/Google's hands and you ca…

Using F-Droid and Yalp and avoiding the Google Play Store is only an option if your needs are very limited. As far as I know, there are no widely-adopted mobile payment apps anywhere else, certainly the de facto standard mobile payment app in my country is only available on the official app stores. The same goes for banking apps and all official store membership and coupon apps, just to mention a few categories of ap…

>de facto standard mobile payment

Is called cash :) It's accepted everywhere.

>official store membership and coupon apps

Should all be burned anyway. Plastic cards and bits of paper worked fine for decades, you don't suddenly need to run arbitrary code on my pocket supercomputer.

>banking apps

Safer to use the website. My bank authenticates you by having you enter your PIN into a card reader - although they have created a mobile app, the security is strictly inferior as phones do not come with card readers (and the passcode is different from your PIN, making you more likely to write it down).

The basic pattern is, it's either important enough to be worth being a stickler over, or trivial enough to ditch entirely. Personally, I find "not being on F-Droid" as a very strong signal that I should not want to use an app in the first place. It steers me away from malicious code and proprietary lockin. And I never, ever see an ad on my phone!

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#273

Post by rimliu »

eps wrote: post #152
eridius wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Maybe the next iOS update comes with privacy intrusion because it's more lucrative. Apple has demonstrated time and time again their commitment to privacy and to protecting user data. Apple does not see user data as something to be hoarded. They see user data as a liability and work very hard to collect as little as possible in order to provide the services they do. The idea that Apple is going to discard all of th…

Careful there with Kool Aid.

I am all ears to see you evidence that this is just Kool Aid. As iOS developer I at least see all the API changes them make to make tracking users (or rather, phones) more and more difficult. You don't even get to access the true MAC from your phone.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#274

Post by rimliu »

pjmlp wrote: post #118
IBM wrote: post #63

It's amazing to me how many comments here excuse Google's behavior by offering the impractical "solution" of just not using a smartphone (a false dilemma) when the obvious answer is to get an iPhone. That's the advice of pretty much everyone in the infosec field and I'm sure some of them will attest to that in this thread.

> when the obvious answer is to get an iPhone. It is only obvious when one enjoys a wealthy life. There are lots of countries out where people can barely afford something better than a feature phone, and when they do, their hard worked savings are just enough for an Android device.

iPhone != brand new latest model of iPhone

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#275

Post by rimliu »

bovermyer wrote: post #143
IBM wrote: post #63

It's amazing to me how many comments here excuse Google's behavior by offering the impractical "solution" of just not using a smartphone (a false dilemma) when the obvious answer is to get an iPhone. That's the advice of pretty much everyone in the infosec field and I'm sure some of them will attest to that in this thread.

I would much rather have a "feature" phone or no mobile at all than have an iPhone again, even if it were free. Living in a walled garden to escape prying eyes is sacrificing freedom for security.

That's like trading walled garden for the solitary cell in the name of freedom. What freedoms of a feature phone cannot you get on iPhone?

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#276

Post by sAbakumoff »

IBM wrote: post #63

It's amazing to me how many comments here excuse Google's behavior by offering the impractical "solution" of just not using a smartphone (a false dilemma) when the obvious answer is to get an iPhone. That's the advice of pretty much everyone in the infosec field and I'm sure some of them will attest to that in this thread.

I've got an idea for the new startup - tin foil hats for your android phone.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#277

Post by maccard »

dingo_bat wrote: post #189
mtarnovan wrote: post #82

I soon have to buy a new (smart)phone. Looks like this might just be the straw that pushes me over to iPhone.

I'd buy the new iphones in a heartbeat but I simply cannot spend that kind of money and put up with weird compromises like no haedphone jack or no fingerprint reader. I wish Samsung would have an option to run tizen on its flagships.

> I simply cannot spend that kind of money and put up with weird compromises like no haedphone jack or no fingerprint reader

That category no longer applies solely to apple. Google's flagship phone [0] is just as expensive as Apple's, has no headphone jack and no fingerprint reader.

[0] https://store.google.com/product/pixel_2

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#278

Post by Accacin »

jaytaylor wrote: post #167
megy wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, get one second hand and it will be even cheaper. The point was it is not $700 for security.

@literally: Yes, and with updates they're so slow as to be unusable. Apple also doesn't permit OS downgrades, truly crippling all older iOS devices.

Disproven multiple times.

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#279

Post by dingo_bat »

maccard wrote: post #277
dingo_bat wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd buy the new iphones in a heartbeat but I simply cannot spend that kind of money and put up with weird compromises like no haedphone jack or no fingerprint reader. I wish Samsung would have an option to run tizen on its flagships.

> I simply cannot spend that kind of money and put up with weird compromises like no haedphone jack or no fingerprint reader That category no longer applies solely to apple. Google's flagship phone [0] is just as expensive as Apple's, has no headphone jack and no fingerprint reader. [0] https://store.google.com/product/pixel_2

Pixel 2 has a fingerprint reader. Although it has it on the back.

However, the phone looks very cheap and dated. I'd be willing to get an iPhone over that :P

Re: Google collects cell tower info even if location services are disabled

#280

Post by Nicholas7900 »

IBM wrote: post #63

It's amazing to me how many comments here excuse Google's behavior by offering the impractical "solution" of just not using a smartphone (a false dilemma) when the obvious answer is to get an iPhone. That's the advice of pretty much everyone in the infosec field and I'm sure some of them will attest to that in this thread.

Hacking a phone or a computer does not depend on programming language, but exploit the existing vulnerabilities. If you mean by create Windows virus/trojan/malware, them are generally written in Visual C++ (VC++), and you can learn it by buying books for basic knowledge and go to practice. so i think adrian lamo uses c plus or v plus for hacking. I don't know why every one talk about Nicholas Shields, I'm not the only Hacker online, but if you like to know what hackers use i can tell you , to hacking web site for example you need script python or Perl or ruby ... but its not the important part because first you should know what you will do and then it will be easy because maybe you will found some code in the internet like here Exploits Database by Offensive Security , so there is a different between someone who hack by using tools and code already done and someone who found "zero days" bugs and expel hacking. Well, if you wish to contact me for hacking issues : compositehacks@gmail.com
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