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From the first thread on this issue[0], it appears that the GPS data transfer exchange is happening underneath the OS level. I tried the locationsmart demo, af

From the first thread on this issue[0], it appears that the GPS data transfer exchange is happening underneath the OS level. I tried the locationsmart demo, after disabling the GPS on my phone, and all location services, my exact location was still be able to be pinpointed utilizing their GPS option. [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17081684 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17081684

walterbell 8y ago
It's using the cell tower location. If you don't connect to the cell tower (Airplane mode), there's no location.
- mehrdadn 8y ago
  >> From the first thread on this issue[0], it appears that the GPS data transfer exchange is happening underneath the OS level. > It's using the cell tower location. If you don't connect to the cell tower (Airplane mode), there's no location. So you're saying that person quite explicitly saying this is GPS data is explicitly wrong about this? (i.e. you have more information than that person, and it is explicitly to the contrary?)
  - wlesieutre 8y ago
    FWIW the Kerbs article makes no mention of GPS, only nearby cell towers https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/05/tracking-firm-locationsmart-leaked-location-data-for-customers-of-all-major-u-s-mobile-carriers-in-real-time-via-its-web-site/ https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/05/tracking-firm-locationsm...
    - mentat 8y ago
      It does AGPS, pointed to where exactly I was in my house.
    - mehrdadn 8y ago
      That person was clearly claiming to have 'insider' information. I'm not sure why one would expect Krebs to have been privy to the same information.
- chiph 8y ago
  Or it's being reported as part of the E911 data for emergency services.
  - confounded 8y ago
    This seems like the most likely explanation to me.
voodootrucker 8y ago
It looks like this is the creepiest of all the ways "they" get your location: https://www.qualcomm.com/products/izat https://www.qualcomm.com/products/izat There are 3 operating systems running in any phone: * iOS / Android * The SIM card JVM * The baseband RTOS And Qualcomm is in most phones, running their RexOS, which Has that IzAt service, which has full access to memory, GPS, etc, and uses this access to send your location data to Qualcomm / the carrier. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17082485 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17082485 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REX_OS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REX_OS https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6722292 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6722292 https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/what-does-this-do.373496/ https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/what-does-this-do.373496/

walterbell 8y ago

It's using the cell tower location. If you don't connect to the cell tower (Airplane mode), there's no location.

mehrdadn 8y ago
>> From the first thread on this issue[0], it appears that the GPS data transfer exchange is happening underneath the OS level. > It's using the cell tower location. If you don't connect to the cell tower (Airplane mode), there's no location. So you're saying that person quite explicitly saying this is GPS data is explicitly wrong about this? (i.e. you have more information than that person, and it is explicitly to the contrary?)
- wlesieutre 8y ago
  FWIW the Kerbs article makes no mention of GPS, only nearby cell towers https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/05/tracking-firm-locationsmart-leaked-location-data-for-customers-of-all-major-u-s-mobile-carriers-in-real-time-via-its-web-site/ https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/05/tracking-firm-locationsm...
  - mentat 8y ago
    It does AGPS, pointed to where exactly I was in my house.
  - mehrdadn 8y ago
    That person was clearly claiming to have 'insider' information. I'm not sure why one would expect Krebs to have been privy to the same information.
chiph 8y ago
Or it's being reported as part of the E911 data for emergency services.
- confounded 8y ago
  This seems like the most likely explanation to me.

voodootrucker 8y ago

It looks like this is the creepiest of all the ways "they" get your location: https://www.qualcomm.com/products/izat https://www.qualcomm.com/products/izat There are 3 operating systems running in any phone: * iOS / Android * The SIM card JVM * The baseband RTOS And Qualcomm is in most phones, running their RexOS, which Has that IzAt service, which has full access to memory, GPS, etc, and uses this access to send your location data to Qualcomm / the carrier. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17082485 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17082485 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REX_OS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REX_OS https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6722292 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6722292 https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/what-does-this-do.373496/ https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/what-does-this-do.373496/