FYI - How the NSA can 'turn on' your phone :cool:

FYI - How the NSA can 'turn on' your phone :cool: - About xda-developers.com

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NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
Even if you power off your cell phone, the U.S. government can turn it back on.
That's what ex-spy Edward Snowden revealed in last week's interview with NBC's Brian Williams. It sounds like sorcery. Can someone truly bring your phone back to life without touching it?
No. But government spies can get your phone to play dead.
It's a crafty hack. You press the button. The device buzzes. You see the usual power-off animation. The screen goes black. But it'll secretly stay on -- microphone listening and camera recording.
How did they get into your phone in the first place? Here's an explanation by former members of the CIA, Navy SEALs and consultants to the U.S. military's cyber warfare team. They've seen it firsthand.
Government spies can set up their own miniature cell network tower. Your phone automatically connects to it. Now, that tower's radio waves send a command to your phone's antennae: the baseband chip. That tells your phone to fake any shutdown and stay on.
A smart hack won't keep your phone running at 100%, though. Spies could keep your phone on standby and just use the microphone -- or send pings announcing your location.
John Pirc, who did cybersecurity research at the CIA, said these methods -- and others, like physically bugging devices -- let the U.S. hijack and reawaken terrorists' phones.
"The only way you can tell is if your phone feels warm when it's turned off. That means the baseband processor is still running," said Pirc, now chief technology officer of the NSS Labs security research firm.
This isn't easy to accomplish. It's a highly targeted attack. But if you are really concerned about the government's ability to reawaken your phone, here are some things you could do.
Recovery mode. Put your phone on what's known as Device Firmware Upgrade (DFU) mode. This bypasses the phone's operating system. Every phone has a different approach for this.
It's fairly easy (albeit cumbersome) for iPhone users. Plug it into a computer with iTunes open. Hold down the Power and Home buttons for 10 seconds (no less) then let go of the Power button. Wait for an iTunes pop-up. That's it.
For Android users, recovery mode varies by model. Android Magazine has a great tutorial here.
Create a barrier. Use a signal-blocking phone case. You can buy them (Off Pocket, HideCell) or even make your own -- assuming you have the patience to do so.
Pull out the battery. Without a power source, the phone can't come back on. This is the best, most surefire option. It's also, annoyingly, no longer a choice on most top-of-the-line smartphones. The iPhone, HTC One and Nokia Lumia don't have removable batteries. Luckily, the Samsung Galaxy and LG G3 still do.
Silent Circle, a company that enables top-end private communication, kept these issues in mind when it co-created the Blackphone. It has a removable battery. It uses PrivatOS, a stripped-down version of Android that reduces tracking.
And because spoofed cell towers can target its antennae too, Blackphone's makers are working with chipmaker Nvidia to develop their own custom, more secure baseband chip.
Silent Circle CEO Mike Janke, a former Navy SEAL, said they designed the phone based on revelations that the NSA can find powered off phones and the FBI can tap their microphones.
You probably don't need to fear that the National Security Agency is using this strategy on your phone, Janke said. Those spies are focused on hunting down a specified list of terrorists and foreign fighters. But he noted that the FBI is using these kinds of surveillance tactics in the U.S. for all sorts of crimes.
Source - CNN
sent from the SKY (vega) LTE

Wow...... Keep giving the updates...... We ve our ears open
Sent From Nexus 4 Using Xda App

I didnt notice that is possible until i read about it
sent from the SKY (vega) LTE

Your baseband and various other sub-systems like PMIC are always on as long as you have the battery connector. AND the WiFi is still receiving network info even when you think you have WiFi OFF, which is why chainfire developed Pry-Fi. This is what makes it so easy for NSA to attack you device.
[APP][4.2+][2014.02.02] Pry-Fi v1.20 [ROOT] - xda-developers
PS. This thread should proably be moved to Security Discussion.

Related

[APP] tawkon for Samsung GTI 9000

After over a year of development and lots of user feedback, we are excited to announce that tawkon is now available FREE on supported Samsung Galaxy S devices (Vibrant, Captivate, GTI 9000)!
tawkon for Android (beta) is the only mobile application that lets you see and avoid mobile phone radiation.
Download from the tawkon website or find us on the market
Real-time Radiation Indication
Our tiny icon on your home screen changes from green to yellow to red indicating low-moderate-high levels of radiation exposure at any given time.
Live Prompts & Feedback
tawkon subtly alerts you when exposure to radiation rises, with simple prompts to avoid radiation just when you need to. Live feedback confirms that your actions were effective.
Map your Home or Office
Activate tawkon in “prediction mode” to see low and high radiation zones in your home, office or neighborhood.
Personal Stats
Dynamic graphical statistics clearly demonstrate how much radiation you avoided by using tawkon during the last call, day, week, month and six months.
The World’s First Live Radiation Map
The tawkon community is creating the world’s first user-generated radiation map. Our tawkon-enhanced Google Map shares the collective data of radiation exposure levels from our users worldwide. Contribute to this valuable collective information source by just activating tawkon on your Android!
Extensive accuracy testing and RF calibration means we introduce tawkon supported devices one-at-a-time, even on Android We therefore don’t yet support all Android models but we’re qualifying more all the time. Remember – tawkon also supports selected BlackBerry devices and we’re waiting (a while now…) for Apple approval to get tawkon on the iPhone. So whatever phone you have, click on this download button, and if your phone isn’t yet supported, we’ll let you know when we’re ready for you!
Are you protected? Get tawkon and keep talking!

nice approach but i dont see use/need for that app

another of those apps that are "just for show"

Didn't I announced this app last month?
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

Run it for a few days, and let us know what you think
You might be suprised once you have tawkon on your phone for a few days.
We’re actually currently running a beta feedback program so if you’re willing, we’d love you to tell us whether you’re still unsure of the need/use for tawkon after having it on your phone for a few days. Just email [email protected] and we’ll send you a link to the quick questionnaire. Your feedback will be really helpful as we fine-tune for the next versions.
Thanks!

tawkon said:
You might be suprised once you have tawkon on your phone for a few days.
We’re actually currently running a beta feedback program so if you’re willing, we’d love you to tell us whether you’re still unsure of the need/use for tawkon after having it on your phone for a few days. Just email [email protected] and we’ll send you a link to the quick questionnaire. Your feedback will be really helpful as we fine-tune for the next versions.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How would we be surprised ?? I mean I dont understand the real point of this application asides from measuring the signal strength and converting it into a radiation GUI.

more than signal strength
While signal strength is one factor taken into account when measuring radiation levels, the algorithm is a lot more complicated than that. In short, tawkon RRI technology collects and analyzes RF-related data extracted from the mobile device. Complex algorithms considering environmental and personal usage factors help determine actual radiation exposure levels. Results are calibrated in an RF lab to ensure radiation levels are accurately monitored and that actions taken actually helped lower the user’s exposure to radiation. More info for anyone interested at www.tawkon.com/technology
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But it’s also a lot more than a gauge. tawkon not only shows you the radiation levels at any given moment, but also how to lower your personal exposure, and then confirms whether it’s worked. We also track your personal exposure over time so you can see the cumulative exposure over the past call, day, week and month.
I encourage you to try it out for yourself and you’ll see that tawkon is not only a lot more sophisticated than a reception gauge, but a lot more useful too

An update on Windows Phone 7.8

Hi all,
for your information, today Microsoft brought some news for the Windows Phone 7.8 Update:
Posted on: Nov 28, 2012 by Terry Myerson
It’s been an exciting month since we officially launched Windows Phone 8. Devices are in stores, reviews are out, and ads are appearing on TV. Feedback so far has been great, and we’re really enjoying seeing how much our customers love the new Start screen. It’s especially fun to see people posting screenshots of their Start screens all over Facebook, Twitter, and sites like http://mytil.es and http://whatsonyourstartscreen.com. As you’ll quickly notice, each is as unique as its owner; the new Start screen is one of the easiest ways to make the phone reflect your style, your passions, and your personality.
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Reviewers agree:
“It’s not a stretch to say that Windows Phone 8 has the best home screen — the perfect combination of flexibility, design, and simplicity — of any major platform right now.” –The Verge
“Someone who glanced over my shoulder and looked at the user interface of Windows Phone 8 said, ‘That's a really pretty phone.’ He was right.” –Wall Street Journal
“The live tiles and the distinctive user interface remain Microsoft's biggest selling points for Windows Phone.” –Associated Press
But it’s not just Windows Phone 8 users that get to enjoy the new Start screen. As previously announced, with Windows Phone 7.8 we’re also bringing the feature to existing Windows Phone 7.5 devices. During the development process, I used builds of 7.8 on my Lumia 900 and it felt like a completely new phone: resizable Live Tiles totally change the way I do things, providing faster access to more of my favorite people, photos, and apps.
Windows Phone 7.8 also includes some other cool stuff. It doubles the number of theme and accent colors—to 20—so you can make your phone even more personal. There are also new lock screen features: the option to automatically display the Bing Picture of the Day plus the ‘A1B2C3’ PIN/password challenge to prevent accidental device wipes on phones connected to Exchange accounts.
And there are new apps coming for Windows Phone 7.5 and 7.8 customers. The hugely popular Words with Friends and Draw Something are already available, while Angry Birds Space and Angry Birds Star Wars are on the way.
New models running Windows Phone 7.8 are beginning to launch in many countries around the world, strengthening the ecosystem by bringing more Windows Phones to more people. These devices will typically be sold at a range of lower price points, meaning there will now be Windows Phones for everyone’s budget and need. This is incredibly important for broadening the reach of Windows Phone across the globe and ensuring we have the right product for every market.
Speaking of broader reach, Windows Phone 7.8 also expands the number of markets where customers can buy apps and use the Xbox service. Testing of this rollout is ongoing, but we’ve already managed to increase our global service coverage by over 30%, to 95 countries—a number that should continue to rise.
We know you’re eager to get the Windows Phone 7.8 update, and we want you to know that we’re working closely with our hardware and carrier partners to get it tested, approved, and rolled out to as many devices as possible in early 2013. As we work to quickly get this in the hands of our loyal users, we’re also striving to deliver a high-quality release and ensure a smooth transition for our widely expanded services.
Thank you for your support of Windows Phone.
-Terry
Corporate Vice President, Windows Phone
Source:
http://blogs.windows.com/windows_ph...012/11/28/an-update-on-windows-phone-7-8.aspx

So, now they aren't sure that every current WP 7.x phone will get an update? I'm not upset that it's comming in early 2013. Now I think my Omnia 7 won't get it at all.
I'm going to flash a custom rom.

I think it depends on OEM and carrier for those who did not get international versions.
Anyway, this is great news. More features is exactly what I hoped for.

you can always push the update manually using wpupdate, it's very simple to do it also.

[contest!] waving andy decal!!

Okay I've been slacking lately and have not followed through with my last contest so, here is the WAVING ANDY DECAL CONTEST!!!
RULES - explain why you love android, and how its helped change the way you look for a smart phone. Explain how you came to android and how it has positively impacted your day to day routine. Thus add how android is the most superior phone/tablet/ereader/operating system over all others.
WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY YOU THE MEMBERS AND THE WAY YOU CHOOSE IS, SIMPLY THANK THE POST YOU THINK SHALL TRIUMPH OVER ALL OTHERS. POST WITH THE MOST THANKS WILL WIN A 6 INCH BY 6 INCH VINYL DECAL. CONTEST ENDS 7-07-2013. ONE ENTRY PER CONTESTANT, NO MODIFYING YOUR POST ONCES ITS THERE IT CAN NOT BE CHANGED.
THANKS EVERYONE!!!
DISCLAIMER: WINNER MUST PROVIDE AN ADDRESS WITHIN 2 BUSINESS DAYS OF WINNING THE CONTEST. WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED HERE ON THIS POST. IF WINNER FAILS TO PROVIDE AN ADDRESS WITHIN THE TIME FRAME THEN THE RUNNER UP WILL BE SELECTED AS THE WINNER.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!
Sent from my GS3 using xda app-developers app

I love android because it gives apple a good run for their ICR*P.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium

My story begins when I took a visit to a t-mobile store and purchased my first smart phone: a my touch 3g slide. I learned a lot from that tank of a device. I think I spent 8 hours or more reading xda before I finally gained root access.
I love android for way too many reasons than I can list here. But my top reasons include:
Not being locked down to what some corporation says I will enjoy.
Having a sense of community on XDA with like-minded individuals.
Having the freedom to truly make my device mine.
Getting a new hobby which I'm constantly intellectually simulated and challenged.
Being able to perform tasks that usually could only be performed on my computer on the go.
To say that Android has changed my life for the better would be an understatement. Not only has it made my communications easier, is made a lot of my daily tasks either automated, faster or streamlined.
I can't think of any mobile platform that can currently accomplish everything android can. At least not so effortlessly. Many have made the claim but anyone who does their research knows that the claims are false.

I love android because it let's me make my phone the way I want it.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

[HELP] Samsung claims my i747 is water damaged. Never spilled even a drop on it.

I'll try to make a short story short. I bought an AT&T S3 full price, off contract, in the States if that matters. (I live in Canada.) Five months ago it bit the dust out of nowhere in a most peculiar way - it does not power on regularly with only the battery (I have tried a friend's working battery) nor charge with USB inserted, but does power into download mode when a 301K jig is inserted with only the battery, and it lets me fully flash an ODIN image. When ODIN autoreboots the device, it boots to the first boot logo (no animation or sound) and does not proceed. Pulling the battery gets us back to square one, device does not boot at all.
Let me be clear before I proceed: this phone has been babied, never come into contact with any water of any form, and never dropped. The liquid damage indicators are, of course, white as ghosts.
So what to do? Call Samsung and send in for repair. Their findings?
Code:
Original Problem:
INSTALLATION - POWER - WILL NOT POWER UP
Problem found:
CORROSION, LIQUID DAMAGE
Solution:
BER
BER means beyond economic repair, apparently. So, I call them back, insist they fix their damn products, speak with a manager
(who describes that the damage as corrosion to the menu/back key connector, she specifically described "14 vertical components and they look very rusted, yeah that looks damaged to me")
I insist they are wrong, the whole nine yards, etc, they clear the BER flag and let me send it in again.
...and they say it's liquid damaged AGAIN. Exact same story. Just now apparently it magically migrated to a new location. The tech stuck a red chevron on my board over the PM8921 IC, which would make sense if the device won't power on I suppose, but there's no corrosion to be found anywhere.
This is where I am right now. I'm pretty furious at Samsung and I cannot go to my carrier because I was an idiot and bought the device full price.
Here are pics of my device to prove what BS Samsung is trying to pull here. Sorry for bad quality, the Nexus 4 is horrible at macro focus.:
http://imgur.com/a/P5AEC
All looks good here (menu/back key connection):
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Full board:
Closeup of chevron:
Even closer:
Does anybody know who I can complain to in order to actually get my phone fixed under warranty? It has warranty until December (which is useless by the looks of it) Small claims court? Better Business Bureau?
Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Update: Called Samsung again today (got to Tier 1 right away), and after politely asking to speak with Tier 2 (and being put on hold for nearly a half hour...), I asked to speak with Executive Customer Support. This was the department I ended up with last time that was actually able to resolve issues instead of repeating themselves over and over. I was informed that they are only in on weekdays.
Looks like I'll be calling back on Monday...

Another update: Finally got through to Executive Customer Relations, who promised me a call back to go over the details of the case. I will be giving them links to these photos to compare what they claim versus what I see, so hopefully we get somewhere.

Was your phone used or new?

New, sealed.

Question Pixel watch 2022, thoughts.

Just popped up on Google feed there for me, this is what iv been wanting a full pixel eco system, having G assist on a watch would be like perfect!
What's your thoughts and expectations on this?
If there's another thread for this my bad

Since they dropped almost every new device because of the chip shortage, I wouldn't get my hopes too high. I remember 9to5 making a lot of news about the Pixel Fold, only to have other Tech sites 3 weeks later claim that it's a dead product for now.

Morgrain said:
Since they dropped almost every new device because of the chip shortage, I wouldn't get my hopes too high. I remember 9to5 making a lot of news about the Pixel Fold, only to have other Tech sites 3 weeks later claim that it's a dead product for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think they might go for it considering the amount of pixels they are selling atm it only makes sense for them to now have an eco system for it, they already have there own operating system for it wearos, so I hope they do

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Knowing Google, it'll come out just after my credit for buying the p6p expires

Would be nice, but Don't hold your breath
Google collaborated with Samsung on the Galaxy 4 Wear os watch series...

kevinireland11 said:
Just popped up on Google feed there for me, this is what iv been wanting a full pixel eco system, having G assist on a watch would be like perfect!
What's your thoughts and expectations on this?
If there's another thread for this my bad
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) I run google free. The presence of the "assistant" was the part of the google spyware system that finally convinced me that it was time to get rid of it all. You should be very cautious about allowing anyone to spy on you. Read some George Orwell -- what they are ACTUALLY doing now was at that time seen as an unbelievable overstep.
2) I stopped wearing watches when I got my first cell phone. Why do I need to carry two things that do the same thing? The phone is a lot more convenient since it has a much bigger screen.
The whole idea of a "smart watch" is a gimmick. Don't fall into it.

Google might get into the smart watch game to compete with Apple and Samsung. I mean, it is logical. It is a good move to get into that market. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple starts making electric cars.

Oh good...another half baked device.

As long as I can sideload the Google Assistant to my Galaxy Watch 4 Classic I'd be happy
Maybe find an app that can rebind my HW Keys to replace Bixby too

hello00 said:
I wouldn't be surprised if Apple starts making electric cars.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be very frightening. They are not good at things that are complicated. If it happens, I'll be trying to come up with some means of detecting them (i.e. 360 degree visual) and alerting me when one is getting close so I can keep well clear of it.

96carboard said:
That would be very frightening. They are not good at things that are complicated. If it happens, I'll be trying to come up with some means of detecting them (i.e. 360 degree visual) and alerting me when one is getting close so I can keep well clear of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True. But it has been reported that at least 5,000 employees are currently working on the project code name Titan, as of 2018. Willing to take the risk to overtake Tesla

hello00 said:
True. But it has been reported that at least 5,000 employees are currently working on the project code name Titan, as of 2018. Willing to take the risk to overtake Tesla
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wish people could figure out that electric cars are not as "environmentally responsible" as they're made out to be. The reason Musk makes them comes down exclusively to the fact that you can't run an internal combustion engine on Mars. Tesla is a hell of an R&D lab for that.

Develop Bugs

welcome