3 ms·

I am curious as to whether the apps that leak data are specific to a certain operating system. That is, are they android-only or iOS-only.

• 3np 4y ago
  Both. In general Android exposes more dimensions compared to iOS.
  • fsflover 4y ago
    More details: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26639261 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26639261.
• kornhole 4y ago
  Possible sources: -Telcos who use cell tower triangulation -Apple and Google -A huge list of apps that collect location data regardless of OS
• toss1 4y ago
  Seems the buried lede in the article was this: >>Fog Reveal refers to a company called Venntel as its “data partner,” but neither company would clarify their relationship to the outlet. Motherboard has reported extensively on how Venntel sources global advertising data from its parent company Gravy Analytics. The data itself comes from apps installed on peoples’ smartphones; app developers often enter agreements to sell their users location information to third parties. Venntel then sells its own surveillance product to government agencies, including Customs and Border Protection. Seems this is no particular app, just apps SELLING the location data on to aggregators, who then sell it to Fog, who surface it in their Reveal product. So, no need to identify a person or phone and phish them into installing your tracker. This is just find your crime, ID the phones in the area, and start tracking them based on location data sold into the marketplace... While it's a great capability for the cops, it means that we really are at the point where we've all been sold a covert device to track our every move. (And deleting our Google location history is worthless, as Google has nothing to do with this.)