Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA • Hacker News Board

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#71

Post by hmcq6 » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 5:51 AM UTC

grishka wrote: post #62

hysan wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "unremovable" > you can't completely remove it Maybe my English isn’t very good but that sounds like the definition of unremovable.

To be pedantic, yes, but not in a way that matters. The system partition is read-only. Mounting it read-write would require root and any modifications would break system updates. The apk will still be physically present in the file system, however , none of its code will run and it will be removed from your launcher and installed app list in settings, which IMO still counts as a removal. Also, English is not my nativ…

It's not being pedantic. Disabling the application does not give me the storage space back.

If people are paying for upgrades to storage space it's completely reasonable for them to be annoyed by bloatware

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#72

Post by WarOnPrivacy » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 5:51 AM UTC

gyello wrote: post #56

bongodongobob wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, that's rooting your phone. It should be a little difficult. You can do it. And it's good that most people don't.

The problem is not that rooting is difficult, it's that in most cases now it permanently renders parts of the phone inoperable or makes it impossible to use contactless payments or any banking apps or content streaming apps etc. These additional restrictions are not there for security despite what we are told.

> it's that in most cases now it permanently renders parts of the phone inoperable or makes it impossible to use contactless payments or any banking apps or content streaming apps etc.

I've had to cloak the rooted state from an app or two or they'd choose to withhold functionality. That was a couple of phones ago. I've not had trouble with banking, payments, etc since.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#73

Post by aucisson_masque » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 5:55 AM UTC

andrewflnr wrote: post #5

AlotOfReading wrote: post #4

Because the link is down: https://web.archive.org/web/20250506145643/https://smex.org/... The article leaves out quite a lot about what AppCloud is, but it's essentially how Samsung monetizes their non-flagship device users and can do things like insert installation advertisements into the notification tray, and silently install apps. Personally, if I found this on my device it'd be the final straw to grit my teeth a…

Or just don't get Samsung? I guess I don't know for sure that my phone brand doesn't do anything similar, but it at least hasn't hit the news yet.

All Android phone but pixel ones have bloatware preinstalled. Some are worst, like Xiaomi.

If you don’t want bloatware (spyware), it’s either pixel or iPhone.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#74

Post by burnt-resistor » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 5:55 AM UTC

StanislavPetrov wrote: post #42

abtinf wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

>You people don’t know or have forgotten what a god damn wasteland computers were 20 years ago. Computers were utopia 20 years ago as compared to today - especially when it comes to privacy, security and user-control.

20 years ago (2003-2006), Welchia, Blaster, Code Red... Windows boxes that weren't patched were infected within about 35 ± 5 seconds when connected to lightly-filtered Internet when it was still a capitalized proper noun. Ask me how I know and used JScript and psexec to mass remote into LAN machines to try to stop some of the madness and downtime.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#75

Post by throwaway290 » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 5:55 AM UTC

userbinator wrote: post #24

making it nearly impossible for regular users to uninstall it without root access, which voids warranties and poses security risks Stop parroting the corporate propaganda that put us into this stupid situation in the first place. Having root access on devices you own should be a fundamental right, as otherwise it's not ownership.

Stop parroting orthodox agenda without thinking of what it means. If everyone had root access it would be heaven for ransomware/spyware/malware operators.

Having root access is not in the interest OR benefit of most regular users. Rooting your phone is a footgun for 99% of people who install random apps and will get hacked and have their life savings transferred or ransomed.

For them the article does the right thing. For everyone else, like you or me, we will not care what this article says anyway.

That's why what Samsung does is double bad. Noot rooting phone is good hygiene if your phone respects you. But if it comes with malware then thats a stab in the back.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#76

Post by WarOnPrivacy » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 5:56 AM UTC

abtinf wrote: post #36

userbinator wrote: post #24

making it nearly impossible for regular users to uninstall it without root access, which voids warranties and poses security risks Stop parroting the corporate propaganda that put us into this stupid situation in the first place. Having root access on devices you own should be a fundamental right, as otherwise it's not ownership.

[flagged]

> Seriously, you never had to provide tech support to a parent, relative, or friend whose computer got totally fraked because they had root?

I accept this metric. It means non-rooted devices are unsafe.

I'm career IT support. In the entire age of smartphones, 100% of the malware/crapware I've seen was on non-rooted devices - most of it pushed on users by manufacturers, carriers and OS devs.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#77

Post by hmcq6 » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 5:56 AM UTC

Mistletoe wrote: post #33

averysmallbird wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same same. SMEX is based in Lebanon — (S)WANA is an obnoxious term that’s going around for MENA.

We don't know what any of these acronyms mean!

MENA - Middle East & North Africa

WANA - West Asia & North Africa

SMEX - "a non-profit that advocates for and advances human rights in digital spaces across West Asia and North Africa." (from their website)

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#78

Post by ulrikrasmussen » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 5:56 AM UTC

abtinf wrote: post #36

userbinator wrote: post #24

making it nearly impossible for regular users to uninstall it without root access, which voids warranties and poses security risks Stop parroting the corporate propaganda that put us into this stupid situation in the first place. Having root access on devices you own should be a fundamental right, as otherwise it's not ownership.

[flagged]

I cannot fathom how you can hold this position. It is such an authoritarian view to willingly give up control to let some higher power protect you, at the expense of having absolutely no way out of that higher power suddenly starts acting against your interests. Sure, when people are in control of their own lives they sometimes fuck up and get hurt, but that is absolutely not an excuse to take away their freedoms.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#79

Post by burnt-resistor » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 5:57 AM UTC

throwanem wrote: post #61

StanislavPetrov wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>You people don’t know or have forgotten what a god damn wasteland computers were 20 years ago. Computers were utopia 20 years ago as compared to today - especially when it comes to privacy, security and user-control.

Spoken like someone who knew no one other than fellow practitioners in the field. My God, the 2000s were the Wild West in every kind of way - were you even there to see it? I note you do not say that you were.

That's fine if they weren't. Probably not cool to attack them personally though.

Re: Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

#80

Post by ArtTimeInvestor » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 5:57 AM UTC

I sometimes think that "track record" is the main value of Google and Apple. They have been around for decades, and except in their own interest to collect data for themselves, I am not aware of any blatant privacy violations of these companies. And one can hope that in their own interest, they keep it that way. That's not great, but it's better than the other companies.

I don't see how any company can compete with this unless they somehow figure out how to make a vastly superior product.