BUSTED! Secret app on millions of phones logs key taps
An Android app developer has published what he says is conclusive proof that millions of smartphones are secretly monitoring the key presses, geographic locations, and received messages of its users.
In a YouTube video posted on Monday, Trevor Eckhart showed how software from a Silicon Valley company known as Carrier IQ recorded in real time the keys he pressed into a stock EVO handset, which he had reset to factory settings just prior to the demonstration. Using a packet sniffer while his device was in airplane mode, he demonstrated how each numeric tap and every received text message is logged by the software.
Carrier IQ tried to threaten this guy with a bogus lawsuit when he revealed their nefarious activity, so he contacted EFF and told them to suck it. The company was forced to back off.
So there are two morals to this story:
1) Support EFF!
2) I’m really glad that I rooted my phone and installed a custom ROM (CM7).