More smartphone malware

Here is another article about various forms of malware being discovered on smartphones.

Two things I found interesting:
1. It seems most, if not all, are apps that a user has to install themsves, and grant permissions to.

2. BlackBerry is noticibly abscent from the article. Is RIM reputation for security so good that nobody bothers to even try?
Is security that good for real that nobody bothers to try to intercept texts and phone calls etc.?

Know there are a few examples of nucance apps that send out spam and such but I'm mainly concerened about the stuff that intercept and/or records communications or steal personal and contact info.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Originally Posted by dairyberry

Here is another article about various forms of malware being discovered on smartphones.

Two things I found interesting:
1. It seems most, if not all, are apps that a user has to install themsves, and grant permissions to.

2. BlackBerry is noticibly abscent from the article. Is RIM reputation for security so good that nobody bothers to even try?
Is security that good for real that nobody bothers to try to intercept texts and phone calls etc.?

Know there are a few examples of nucance apps that send out spam and such but I'm mainly concerened about the stuff that intercept and/or records communications or steal personal and contact info.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Where is the article? Link please.

Yea, I think it's bs that all these apps "need" all these permissions. For example, I would love to use Documents to Go, but I refuse to give it the following permissions it says it "needs," so I can't use it:

Personal Information

"This includes content such as your email address, contact information, audio files, video files, and other saved files. Some applications might share your personal information with third parties."

Connectivity

"This allows applications to use the phone, send text messages, access the Internet, and use other connectivity features. Some applications might send information to third parties or create connections that are billable by your wireless provider."

Appearance and Settings

"This includes the settings that affect the visual appearance of your device. Some applications might modify the look of your device or change behaviors, such as preventing the device from locking when it is left idle." !!!

Advanced Capabilities

This allows applications to perform advanced operations such as simulating key presses, managing your applications, or modifying internet browsing."!!! (It wants permission to be a keylogger. Great.)

Yes, Documents to Go needs all of this enabled so I can work with Word documents. Ridiculous.

I'm not saying Docs to Go is doing all of this, but it wants the capability. Let me guess ... If DataViz (Docs to Go) decides I have some "suspicious" document or file, it will (a) use the connection I pay for to alert the police, (b) send an mms of the file to the police, (c) activate a keylogger to gather more info, (d) possibly prevent me from deleting the file, and (e) prevent my device from locking so the police can confiscate it and access my ordinarily encrypted files from an unlocked device. Why take the chance? To work with Word documents??? Frack DataViz.

Originally Posted by DannyAves

Where is the article? Link please.

Sorry, I forgot, my bad.

http://uscc.apnews.com/ap/db_6724/contentdetail.htm?full=true&contentguid=wUfjh3Kk&d etailindex=0#topPage

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Originally Posted by T�nis

Yea, I think it's bs that all these apps "need" all these permissions. For example, I would love to use Documents to Go, but I refuse to give it the following permissions it says it "needs," so I can't use it:

Personal Information

"This includes content such as your email address, contact information, audio files, video files, and other saved files. Some applications might share your personal information with third parties."

Connectivity

"This allows applications to use the phone, send text messages, access the Internet, and use other connectivity features. Some applications might send information to third parties or create connections that are billable by your wireless provider."

Appearance and Settings

"This includes the settings that affect the visual appearance of your device. Some applications might modify the look of your device or change behaviors, such as preventing the device from locking when it is left idle." !!!

Advanced Capabilities

This allows applications to perform advanced operations such as simulating key presses, managing your applications, or modifying internet browsing."!!! (It wants permission to be a keylogger. Great.)

Yes, Documents to Go needs all of this enabled so I can work with Word documents. Ridiculous.

I'm not saying Docs to Go is doing all of this, but it wants the capability. Let me guess ... If DataViz (Docs to Go) decides I have some "suspicious" document or file, it will (a) use the connection I pay for to alert the police, (b) send an mms of the file to the police, (c) activate a keylogger to gather more info, (d) possibly prevent me from deleting the file, and (e) prevent my device from locking so the police can confiscate it and access my ordinarily encrypted files from an unlocked device. Why take the chance? To work with Word documents??? Frack DataViz.

I wouldn't worry about Docs to Go. I think their permission requests are legit. Some of the permissions are needed to provide special functions. For example the connections permission is needed to allow the PDF reader to download and open PDF attachments.

You can also send your document via email right from the Docs application. Which I would guess needs permission to use the contacts as well as the data connection.

Also DataVis is owned by RIM.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Originally Posted by dairyberry

I wouldn't worry about Docs to Go. I think their permission requests are legit. Some of the permissions are needed to provide special functions. For example the connections permission is needed to allow the PDF reader to download and open PDF attachments.

You can also send your document via email right from the Docs application. Which I would guess needs permission to use the contacts as well as the data connection.

Also DataVis is owned by RIM.

All great info. Thank you. What bothered me was the stuff I read in the agreement. All stuff about not exporting the software according to various US government alphabet soup agencies' rules, and that if DataViz "suspects" you're doing something it thinks is against policy it has a right to "inspect" your device and its software, files, etc.