Flashlight app on your smart phone? Read this

9 years ago

If you installed a flashlight app on your smart phone, watch this video. This guy is claiming that virtually all of the smart phone flashlight apps are enabling hackers in Eastern Europe to take over your phone.

Here is a link that might be useful: cybercrime expert speaks

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Comments (7)

beaglesdoitbetter1
9 years ago
Snopes says this is not true.
graywings123
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you, Beagles. I can't believe I fell for this.
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beaglesdoitbetter1
9 years ago
I fell for it too yesterday, that was why I had looked it up on Snopes yesterday :)
outsideplaying_gw
9 years ago
I'm glad you posted the Snopes report as I haven't had time to check it out. DH has one the app his iphone but I don't. The guy certainly sounded convincing.
awm03
9 years ago
Well, yes & no. See the Carnegie Mellon study below.

The flashlight app in question certainly did/does cop your data, so the guy isn't completely wrong. Whether that data got sold to foreign parties, who knows. Google has strengthen their app screening recently -- because there was a need for it. And mobile malware is on the rise.

It all points to being mindful of what you're downloading on your phone, checking to see what permissions the app is asking for. These looked like good tips from Hackread.com

Deactivating GPS and turn it on only while traveling or facing an emergency
Deactivating Near Field Communications (or iBeacon for iOS devices) forever
Deactivating Bluetooth and turn it on only to make hands-free calls while driving
When not in use, cover the microphone and/or webcam with tape [if you're really paranoid!]

Here is a link that might be useful: Carnegie Mellon study about snooping apps
justgotabme
9 years ago
Big Brother, thirty years late.
lynninnewmexico
9 years ago
Well . . . after reading that earlier this morning, and then watching the video clip, I stopped by my Verizon store while I was in town running errands and had them take off my flashlight app. It took all of one minute, once they actually got to me. I just did not need more hacker problems! In the past 30 days or so, we had to get a new MasterCard issued because of that Home Depot hacking. And then just last week we got a text around 10PM from American Express telling us that someone in the Chicago area was trying to use our AmEx number. DH called immediately and since we were still in possession of both our cards, were not liable for any charges. They overnighted us new cards, but I am not feeling so safe on the internet these days!
Lynn

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Flashlight app on your smart phone? Read this

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beaglesdoitbetter1

graywings123
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Flashlight app on your smart phone? Read this

Comments (7)

beaglesdoitbetter1

graywings123Original Author

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