Android Apps Collect Personal Data – But just how much may surprise you

Uploaded on 2015-01-21 in TECHNOLOGY--Hackers, FREE TO VIEW, BUSINESS-Services-IT & Telecoms

A new study looking at how mobile Android apps track smartphone users has revealed some interesting facts about Android applications, InfoWorld reports, finding that many apps collect plenty of personal data in an attempt to track users online and serve them targeted ads in the process.

Two French organizations, including the French National Institute for Informatics Research (INRIA) and the National Commission on Computing and Liberty (CNIL), installed a monitoring app on Android phones belonging to 10 different people, encouraging them to use the handsets as they normally do.

For a three-month period, the volunteers collectively used 121 apps, with Mobilitics recording every time one of these apps accessed personal data, including location, identifier, photos, messages and other info. The app also tracked whether the data was transmitted to a server or not.

Almost two-thirds of apps accessed at least one identifier, 25% of them accessed at least two identifiers and a sixth of apps three or more, the study found. However, it’s not clear what kind of devices were used, or what Android OS version they were running.

Location accounted for 30% of all personal data accessed, with the study revealing some interesting numbers. For example, the Facebook app recorded one person’s location 150,000 times during the three-month period, or more than once per minute. The Google Play Store tracked a user’s phone 10 times per minute at certain times. One game recorded a user’s location 3,000 times while it was in use.

But the most amazing stat belongs to an unspecified default Android app made by Google, which checked a user’s location 1 million times in one month.

As the study reveals, it’s pretty easy for app developers to track users by simply looking at a phone’s Wi-Fi and/or Internet state, with the resulting data being enough for target advertising. Additionally, the data can be aggregated in order to profile users and their social networks even better.

BGR:  

 

« Coming Soon. How Surveillance and Privacy will Overlap in 2025
Snowden Says US Creates A Black Market for Digital Weapons »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81
Cyrin

Real Attacks. Real Tools. Real Scenarios.
Schedule a demo

Go Cyber

Training that transforms behaviours

Sign Up: Cyber Security Intelligence Newsletter

Directory of Suppliers

North Infosec Testing (North IT)

North Infosec Testing (North IT)

North IT (North Infosec Testing) are an award-winning provider of web, software, and application penetration testing.

BackupVault

BackupVault

BackupVault is a leading provider of automatic cloud backup and critical data protection against ransomware, insider attacks and hackers for businesses and organisations worldwide.

Perimeter 81 / How to Select the Right ZTNA Solution

Perimeter 81 / How to Select the Right ZTNA Solution

Gartner insights into How to Select the Right ZTNA offering. Download this FREE report for a limited time only.

Syxsense

Syxsense

Syxsense brings together endpoint management and security for greater efficiency and collaboration between IT management and security teams.

LockLizard

LockLizard

Locklizard provides PDF DRM software that protects PDF documents from unauthorized access and misuse. Share and sell documents securely - prevent document leakage, sharing and piracy.

Chertoff Group

Chertoff Group

The Chertoff Group provide security advice and risk management services covering cyber security, insider threat, physical security and asset protection.

INSUREtrust

INSUREtrust

INSUREtrust is a pioneer in the industry, inventing the concept of cyber insurance.

Brainwave GRC

Brainwave GRC

Brainwave GRC is a leading European software provider focused on Identity Analytics and intelligence to strengthen IT security and compliance.

Finnish Information Security Cluster (FISC)

Finnish Information Security Cluster (FISC)

FISC is an organization established by major Finnish information security companies to promote their activities nationally and internationally.

ABB

ABB

ABB is a pioneering technology leader in industrial digitalization. Services include cyber security for industrial control systems IoT.

herdProtect

herdProtect

herdProtect is a second line of defense malware scanning platform powered by 68 anti-malware engines in the cloud.

Institute for Cybersecurity & Privacy (ICSP) - University of Georgia

Institute for Cybersecurity & Privacy (ICSP) - University of Georgia

The goal of ICSP is to become a state hub for cybersecurity research and education, including multidisciplinary programs and research opportunities, outreach activities, and industry partnership.

Lightship Security

Lightship Security

Lightship Security is an accredited Common Criteria and FIPS 140-2 IT security testing laboratory that specializes in test conformance automation solutions and IT product security certifications.

Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime

Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime

The Council of Europe helps to protect societies worldwide from the threat of cybercrime through the Convention on Cybercrime.

Razorpoint Cybersecurity

Razorpoint Cybersecurity

Razorpoint’s world-class security experts have provided advanced, effective cybersecurity expertise to corporate and public-sector organizations around the world.

Bleam Cyber Security

Bleam Cyber Security

Bleam is a leading provider of Managed Cyber Security Services and Information Security consulting. We deliver enterprise class security services to UK SME’s to stop data breaches.

Panacea Infosec

Panacea Infosec

Panacea Infosec is a leading provider of information security compliance services. We help our clients in protecting their data, reducing security risks and fighting cybercrime.

D2 Network Associates (D2NA)

D2 Network Associates (D2NA)

D2NA help businesses deliver and achieve their goals, through innovative IT solutions, robust cyber security services and proactive IT managed services.

Techsolidity

Techsolidity

Techsolidity is an emerging e-learning platform that offers a wide range of upskilling programs worldwide in areas including cybersecurity.

Sayers

Sayers

Sayers is best known for its ability to solve business challenges with IT solutions. Our areas of expertise include cloud, storage, virtualization, security, mobility and networking.

Clarity

Clarity

Clarity is an AI cybersecurity startup that protects against deepfakes and new social engineering and phishing attack vectors accelerated by the rapid adoption of Generative AI.