4 ms·

> Talking to the internet? No way. Not even if I had root on the device with the source code to the OS, firmware and applications. Can you explain how this is

• sincerely 8y ago
  Do you really think the people who are concerned about Google Home/Alexa/etc don't also have their webcam covered with a sticker?
• LinuxBender 8y ago
  I don't leave a webcam attached, or a microphone. I can also debug any code running on my machines and have some idea of what they are doing. I can also limit when they are allowed to talk to the internet and to what address.
  • j88439h84 8y ago
    > Not even if I had root on the device with the source code to the OS, firmware and applications. Can't you debug code and control network access in that scenario?
    • LinuxBender 8y ago
      Maybe if I have the debugging symbols and kernel headers. Even then there are circumstances where it won't help. For example: Nearly all cell phones check in to their manufactures website from time to time. Nearly all of them look for a header that triggers a debug mode that turns on CarrierIQ. (It isn't called this any more, AT&T renamed it to an empty name to stop people from searching for it). Trying to find obscure functions and understand how they interact with the servers they check into can be very difficult at best. It often leads to more questions than answers, at least based on my experience.