Google Has Android Remote App Install Power, Too 278
Posted
by
timothy
from the coming-and-going dept.
from the coming-and-going dept.
Trailrunner7 writes "The remote-wipe capability that Google recently invoked to remove a harmless application from some Android phones isn't the only remote control feature that the company built into its mobile OS. It turns out that Android also includes a feature that enables Google to remotely install apps on users' phones as well. Jon Oberheide, the security researcher who developed the application that Google remotely removed from Android phones, noticed during his research that the Android OS includes a feature called INSTALL_ASSET that allows Google to remotely install applications on users' phones. 'I don't know what design decision they based that on. Maybe they just figured since they had the removal mechanism, it's easy to have the install mechanism too,' Oberheide said in an interview. 'I don't know if they've used it yet.'"
They also removed the restraining bold from C3PO (Score:2, Funny)
Google has been taken over by Jawas.
Good thing that wasn't Apple (Score:5, Funny)
Slashdot headline would have been:
"Evil Apple Hides Secret Rootkit Installer on All iPhones"
Re:Good thing that wasn't Apple (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Good thing that wasn't Apple (Score:3, Funny)
There, now it's news.
It's to reinstall malware that they removed... (Score:5, Funny)
...when Slashdot raises a stink about them removing it.
"Oops. Sorry. Here's your keylogger back."
Really Really Really? No. (Score:5, Funny)
My "most modern phone", the N900, is not bound to any carrier, and I am quite certain that my carrier does not have the ability or a clue how to install anything on it. I'm root. Not them.
Apple and Android folks: Enjoy being someone else's bitch.
Was this post obnoxious? Yes, in a very nerdy way.
Re:Good thing that wasn't Apple (Score:4, Funny)
Re:No (Score:5, Funny)
-Steve
Woz, doesn't Apple give you Iphones anyway?
Re:kinda scary (Score:5, Funny)
Re:kinda scary (Score:5, Funny)
Wait! I didn't post that!!
Re:They also removed the restraining bold from C3P (Score:3, Funny)
My response (Score:4, Funny)
I cast "root device" then "alter /etc/hosts".
Re:kinda scary (Score:3, Funny)