BBC crafts malicious smartphone app to prove a point… we guess
You may surmise that Auntie Beeb is only good for news distribution from across the pond, but as it turns out, the BBC is apparently giving at least a few of its employees a little of that oh-so-coveted " 20 percent time ." In an effort to prove just how easy it is to create a smartphone application that can gank all sorts of personal information, a staffer at the organization spent just a few weeks learning enough code to create a "crude game." In play, the app would gather contact information, copy text messages and log the phone's current location; afterwards, it would shoot all of that information to a specified email address, but not before putting a serious hurting on the battery. All told, the spyware took up around 250 lines of the 1,500 making up the whole program, and thankfully for us all, the BBC decided against submitting the program into any app stores. Phew.
Categories: Mobile Phone, Other Tags: across-the-pond, app, auntie-beeb, battery, bbc, beeb, crafts, drain, engadget, ill-willed-app, phone, security, staffer
BlackBerry messaging shut down in Saudi Arabia, users feel early withdrawal pains
We can't say this is exactly a surprise , but we are rather saddened to learn that Saudi Arabia has apparently carried through on its threats to shut down all BlackBerry messaging services functionality due to "security concerns." Users there are reporting that they are no longer able to use their keyboards for the jobs they were intended, forcing them to actually call friends -- with their voices. Saudi Arabia has threatened $1.3 million fines for any wireless provider that does not play nicely and, until those threats are lifted, we're thinking BBM is down for the count out there
Categories: BlackBerry, Mobile Phone Tags: BlackBerry, concerns, fri, keyboards, rim, saddened, saudi arabia, saudiarabia, security, surprise, voices
Huawei bids high, loses hard on two major US assets
Huawei has been kicking for well over two decades, and while a great deal of its business revolves around the enterprise, the company still has a presence in the consumer arena (most recently with its S7 tablet ).
Categories: Android, Mobile Phone Tags: arena, assets, business, consumer, engadget, enterprise, huawei, security
Saudi Arabia beats UAE to the punch, BlackBerry service to be ceased by Friday
Folks in the United Arab Emirates may have until October to enjoy BBM, but neighbor Saudi Arabia isn't the patient type. According to state news agency SPA, the Communications and Information Technology Commission for the country has ordered all BlackBerry services in the country to be halted by this Friday.
Categories: BlackBerry, Mobile Phone Tags: bans, emirates, india, launch, regional-launch, regulatory, requirements, result, security, technology, torch, uae
RIM reported to have agreed to snooping deal with India, says ‘no way!’
Reports out of India this morning claim that RIM has agreed a deal with the local government to permit its security agencies to " monitor " email and messaging done on BlackBerry devices. There's even a roadmap for this snooperiffic rollout, as all consumer email is expected to be opened up within 15 days and tools are being developed over the next six to eight months to allow chat surveillance as well.
Categories: BlackBerry, Mobile Phone Tags: BlackBerry, entry, facade, india, monitoring, rollout, security, service-reports, snooperiffic
Citi discloses security flaw in iPhone app, is probably sending you a(nother) new card right now
Call us jaded, bitter or just downright unlucky, but we've received more new Citi card digits in the past two years than we know what to do with. Every other month or so, some prankster is breaking into some database and compromising some quantity information over at Citi (or at least that's how it seems), and now the frustrations have spilled over into the mobile realm.
Categories: Mobile Phone, Other Tags: apple, entry, frustrations, mobile, personal data, recently-fessed, sanity, security
New ‘licensing service’ replacing existing copy protection method in Android Market
Copy protection has always been a concern in the Android Market , primarily because applications can be sideloaded onto phones without a root or other modification from the end user.
Categories: Android, Mobile Phone, Other Tags: app, apps, copy protection, copyprotection, drm, entry, market-license, mechanism, operatingsystem, protection, security, server, sideload
iPhone vulnerability leaves your data wide open, even when using a PIN
if you feel like going through the process of typing in your PIN every time you unlock your iPhone is worth it thanks to the unconquerable security it implies, you might want to read this report from Bernd Marienfeldt about the chosen one's security model. Yes, a PIN will keep casual users from picking up your phone and making a call with it, or firing off an e-mail to your co-workers saying that you're quitting and becoming an exotic dancer, but it won't keep someone from accessing all your data
Categories: Mobile Phone Tags: appleiphone3gs, belief, berndmarienfeldt, chosen, data, exotic, guru, iphone 3gs, lucidlynx, phone, prime, security, storage, workers
Ask Engadget: best smartphone without a camera?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from James' best bud, who would love to own an EVO 4G... if not for that 8 megapixel camera that's strictly against protocol.
Categories: Android, BlackBerry, Mobile Phone, Other Tags: askengadget, cameras, employer-doesn, iphone, Job, security, security-field, smartphone
Wi-Fi Sync app rejected by Apple, headed to Cydia for $9.99
Can't say we're surprised to hear that Apple rejected Greg Hughes' Wi-Fi Sync app .
Categories: Mobile Phone Tags: apple, appstore, boundaries, break-the-rules, cydia, does-encroach, engadget, greg, hughes, rep, security, Sync, synchronization, tether