This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
One thing I am always aware of are apps that want permission to access Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi and/or Networks.
Even though Bluetooth is very short ranged it can still be used to tie you into a location within a database based on other database records that are more detailed.
Yeah, I love playing you “My Great Dog-sitting Simulator” (not a real app) but you do not need access to my BT. The OS handles sending your audio to my headphones!
Teams is the worst, you can’t join any call if you don’t allow it to scan your local network. I wish the executives a very nice and agonizing death.
I haven't done an extensive survey or anything, but every modern router I've interacted with supports setting up a secondary WiFi network with guest isolation (so anything on that SSID can't see any network device besides the router and itself). This is useful for apps or hardware that is untrusted and/or demands unjustified permissions.
Correct, using the guest network is better but I think turning off WiFi and just using mobile data is sufficient. I wonder if the permission applies to cellular connectivity as well.
Sure, removing your network from the equation is definitely a more secure option; just make sure the app isn't using those granted permissions in the background when you're done using it and log back into your network.
On what device? I have Nearby Devices and Location disallowed on Android, and it still works fine.
Side note. Teams is the worst. Just, period.
I remember when Bluetooth started demanding location permissions. You'll never convince me that it's functionally required or provides any benefit other than furthering efforts to spy on the user.
When it started being rolled out, I avoided any app or hardware that made that demand. Sadly, that's no longer an option if I want any Bluetooth at all.
It's not like Bluetooth started demanding location permissions, the conceptual model of the permission was revised: having access Bluetooth means an app could determine your location via a form of lateration.
In earlier versions of smartphone operating systems, this was not transparent to users lacking the technical background, so Bluetooth also requiring location access is actually an attempt at making users aware of that. I'm not an iOS developer, so I can't comment on iPhones, but on Android versions prior to 11, having access to Bluetooth meant an app would be able to determine your location.
Today, you can require the permission ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, which expresses that your app might use Bluetooth to obtain location information on Android. Also, if you're just scanning for nearby devices to connect your app to, but don't want users to be confused why your smart fridge app needs to know your precise location, you can declare a permission flag (neverForLocation) and Android will strip beacon information from the scan results, better asserting your intentions.
So, overall: no, there is nothing nefarious going on, it was always possible to determine your location via Bluetooth, and the update to the permission model was an honest improvement that actually benefits you as user.
Now, there are still plenty of shady apps around, and apps that are poorly written - don't use those.
I knew that someone would try to convince me. You won't convince me.
... Though your argument is pretty compelling.
I don't think he wanted to convince you, he just explained the backgroundon how you can track locations with bluetooth.
Use FOSS as much as possible, pressure your gov to implement laws against tracking (against what Snowden showed us).
There is no need to know the location and history, and the communication of everyone everywhere.
I hope Google gets split up, that'll probably be the beginning of the end for targeted ads (I would hope)
Don't just give location access to any app that requests it, especially background location access.
Even my taxi apps receive/lose location access automatically on open/close.
I think generally speaking these privacy articles fail to convince the majority of people that there's a problem, which is crucial to be able to sell the solution.
I think the abortion part is the most relatable, but you'll hear them say they've got nothing to hide. I believe getting access to that data and show people what data they have on them would be the most effective. It's like saying to someone that has nothing to hide "oh yeah? Give me your phone and your documents, let me browse what's on them"
People can be irrational like that. But I bet if there’s a really successful horror movie where the killer finds the victim’s location then people will care.
I feel like this needs to be real, not a movie. Not someone who gets killed, just someone who sees their own data
You can take it a step further. If you live in an area with a lot of theft, put some tracking tags on things that tend to get stolen, then see how easily you can track them down. An attacker can track your phone in much the same way as you tracking down that tag, so if you have a particularly motivated stalker, they could figure out exactly where you are.
"Don't worry I'm just gonna do the same thing your spying apps do. Let's see here, oh these are some interesting texts, hey pictures, ooohhh a nude well let me just "anonymize" this by removing the metadata (close enough) and I'll just send that to my "server" (it's my phone).. Why? Well so I can more effectively sell you things of course! It looks like you need clothes, check out these pants from Target and this shirt from H&M, don't you wanna buy them? No? Well ok, here check out those exact same fucking things but this time from Walmart and Macy's!"
Pretty easy steps; get app you are interested in. Deny it access to things it doesn’t need when asked. If the app proceeds to not work until you enable, delete. Otherwise, enjoy app without the unnecessary permissions.
That's my approach with Rethink DNS. I get FOSS alternatives whenever acceptable for my use case, but isolate even them to only bare working minimum of outside connections.
NetGuard just outright blocks network access. Apps can't send tracking data if they are not able to access the servers. I'm using it in whitelist mode where I only allow access to apps that need it.
A lot of great comments here. I just wanted to add that even just your ip address is enough to roughly track your location. When your phone checks gmail you are leaving digital breadcrumbs in Google’s logs of your ip address which roughly tracks your location. App permissions will not solve this. We need strong privacy regulations with teeth.
And then there's wifi triangulation and Bluetooth which narrows it down further
And this is why my GPS and Bluetooth are disabled 99% of the time unless I'm actually using them. It cuts down on a lot of potential data leakage.
A VPN helps
There are still attacks that can get around the VPN. It certainly helps, but it's not a complete solution on its own like VPN providers would like you to believe.
Yes, I am in Sweden, totally, believe it ipaddr checkers!
Yes and no, when I check my actual IP address it shows that it's somewhere pretty far away, I guess that's where my carrier has their trunk connected.
I have my location turned off for everything and keep mine in a Faraday bag. That said, there was one tip in this article I wasn't aware of: deleting my advertising ID, so everyone should read it and see if you can't improve your own privacy.
It feels good when I have to use it and, for a moment it says "no service", like kicking the tech assholes in the dick.
Damn I had advertising id disabled ever since I had been using any online account
I loved xprivacy_lua
You could hide almost everything.
No app knew the other apps I used.
No app had clipboard access. when I needed to paste something I used Xposed Edge.
You could spoof a lot of info, GPS coordinates, IMEI ...
The list goes on.
support stopped. I should check if there's a fork.
edit: AOSP permissions have improved and I now use almost exclusively FOSS apps, so I'm not worried, but I still miss the app.
edit2: there's a fork: https://xdaforums.com/t/xpl-ex-xprivacylua-ex-android-privacy-manager-hooking-manager-extended.4652573/
Why does Microsoft Remote Desktop app need my GPS location from my phone?
Reverse justification answer: to more securely verify your identity when signing into your Microsoft account
Real answer: selling ads and building a free database for Microsoft that accurately maps IP address->physical location
While the first statement really is true, it still doesn’t justify the other things.
I don't think enough people have mentioned that Auto manufacturers have been able to locate vehicles since the 90's.
How did they do it tech wise?
Originally the D.A.I.R. project (Driver Aid, Information and Routing) was conceptualized in the 60's. It wasn't until Hughes assisted EDS in the 90's that they were able to create a beacon that could communicate via Satellite and Cellular.
I myself didn't realize this was a thing until about a decade ago when I was trying to create an automation for my lights to turn on when I pulled into my driveway. I kept getting a ping about 5min after my phone connected to my WiFi. The MAC matched nothing I had in the house, I just blew it off.
When an associate stopped by to work on a HoneyPot project we started seeing a bunch of random MACs attempt to connect to the open wifi, we wrote that noise off as people walking by my house and their cell phones were just trying to connect. It wasn't until the garbage man showed up and stopped to talk to me that I was able to find his truck listed with an address connected to the open wifi, sent a few packets, then left. We made the correlation that the MAC's could be from cars so we started researching the manufacturer of those device MAC's
That pretty much opened a weird rabbit hole leading us to find out that almost every car has been tracked since the mid-90's.
Joking aside, I would move to Amish country if it weren't for the whiskey and bitches. But in all honesty; my family lives a much more comfortable life than I ever imagined I would with working in the IT field.
Same as today, but slower.
GM’s OnStar was notorious for this. I think the first version had a 2G cell modem
GM's OnStar, I believe, was just EDS's tech at the time of their rollout in '96ish
If you have a device that's actively connected to a cellular network, and has been while in your home or work, then your only option is to leave it behind or turn it off. That includes your car if it was made in the past decade, if nothing else, so it can catch OTA firmware updates, and send telemetry data.
GPS and location services don't mean shit when your carrier keeps logs of where you've been based on cell-tower triangulation.
