Carrier IQ - How cell phone service providers monitor you

[BDown]

Recently, Trevor Eckhart uncovered an app for smartphones which he demonstrated in this video is running in the background from the time for first set up your phone. He also shows that Carrier IQ (hereafter, CIQ) has permissions to access just about anything; "calling phone numbers, sending text messages, reading text messages, getting location, recording audio, changing network connectivity" (about 7:00 in the video). The odd part is when he tries to stop the application by "Force Stopping" it, but the button does nothing (7:40 in the video). To see Eckhart demonstrating CIQ monitoring user actions, skip to part 4 (around 8:30).

 

So, why should we care?

 

Well, if the video didn't get your attention, consider that although CIQ is demonstrated on an HTC phone, it has been found on a wide range of phones "BlackBerries, Nokias, and more" (1:00 in the video). Also, on CIQs website they proudly display on their homepage that the app is running on over 141,000,000 handsets. Google estimates that the population of the United States is about 307,007,000, so that would mean that if all of these handsets are in the US, 46% of the population is being monitored.

 

Yesterday, CIQ (the company) issued an updated press statement which you can read here (a short pdf). In the statement they say "We measure and summarize performance of the device to assist Operators in delivering better service. While a few individuals have identified that there is a great deal of information available to the Carrier IQ software inside the handset, our software does not record, store or transmit the contents of SMS messages, email, photographs, audio or video. For example, we understand whether an SMS was sent accurately, but do not record or transmit the content of the SMS." They also state that the amount of data collected is up to the service provider: "Each implementation is different and the diagnostic information actually gathered is determined by our customers – the mobile operators."

 

Which ever side you take is up to you, but I believe it's a little bit suspicious that after Eckhart's video was released Carrier IQ tried to "silence" him with a cease-and-desist notice, and did not back down and apologize until the Electronic Frontier Foundation stepped in.

 

What are your thoughts on this issue? Personally, I find it disturbing how widespread and high up the ladder this is. Nowadays, mobile phones are basically computers, except we carry them with us 24/7. Image if your ISP just decided to start monitoring all of your computer activity. It seems like it's only a matter of time until the government gets involved, why would they need to put tracking bugs on you if you're carrying one around with you all the time, especially if it can gather much more information than where you are.

 

On top of that, what are your service providers doing with all of this information? Sure they may be using it for legitimate reasons, improving your battery life, improving their network for less dropped calls and such, but do they store it? Does it ever get erased after a certain time period? Are they selling it to market research companies? Even if they do keep the information private and erase it after x days, with all of the network security breaches these days, who's to say Anonymous won't hack in and publicize all of the personal data?

 

Anyway, I thought all of you should be aware of this.

/rant

[Pinkie Pie]

I don't have a cell phone.

[alphabetagamma]

I don't have a cell phone.

We are brothers. Forever, and ever

[Kirkreng]

You know this is 2012, right?

[Pinkie Pie]

That doesn't help the fact that I'm both broke and still living underneath someone else's roof who doesn't want to get me a cellphone.

[Kirkreng]

Fair enough.

[BTGBullseye]

ISPs already monitor all of your internet usage... Same as they have since the beginning of the internet.