Android wallpaper collecting user data

[Glenn]

An Android wallpaper application that collected data from users' phones and uploaded it to a site in China was downloaded "millions of times", according to mobile security firm Lookout.

Kevin MaHaffey, chief technology officer at Lookout, used Jackeey Wallpaper as an example of the wider risk faced by smartphone users during a presentation at the Black Hat security conference in Vegas on Wednesday.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/07/29/suspicious_android_app/

[Rik]

Stay dumb like me.

[Simon]

Oops! 

[Rik]

 

[Technical Ben]

Oops indeed. I guess that's the problem with open software. They probably need to lock down certain areas. I still don't think it's right to lock down all areas. I like how my LG phone does it, it asks me "do you wish to give permission to:" and lists what I want, with each app/java app. So I know if it's trying to record me for example! 

[Niall]

I'd like to think that this sort of thing is totally cut out by Apple with their extremely painful and long winded approval process. Other wise it's paper and pigeon time again

[Technical Ben]

I would guess so. But then they all have adverts on now right? How long before someone finds a way to socially engineer one of those?