[GRLUG] Android scare tactics article

[Michael Mol]

The problem is that the permissions model is too coarse. "Read/write
to the SD card" is necessary if you want the app to use more storage
than your phone has built-in. "Unlimited network access" appears to
mean "be able to open IP sockets". "Read phone state and identity" is
necessary for more than it ought to be, too.

The only app on my Android devices which doesn't require any special
privileges? Frozen Bobble.

On Sun, Nov 27, 2011 at 11:58 PM, Mike Williams <knightperson at zuzax.com> wrote:
> The thing they don't mention, which I think is significant, is that most
> legitimate apps "require" a lot more permissions than they really need. It
> wouldn't surprise me if the only app I have on my phone that didn't insist
> on both "unlimited Internet access" and "read/write SD card" is the one that
> lets me use the camera flash LED as a flashlight! Users are used to allowing
> a long list of permissions whenever they install much of anything, so that's
> not much protection. Google Market's track record of avoiding malware might
> be pretty good, but I don't like relying on it as the only line of defense
> available.
>
> On 11/27/2011 09:19 AM, Eric Beversluis wrote:
>>
>> Reports of exponential Android malware growth greatly exaggerated to
>>         freak you out:
>>
>> http://www.extremetech.com/computing/106215-reports-of-exponential-android-malware-growth-greatly-exaggerated-to-freak-you-out
>>
>>         Contains some good talking points if re how hard it is to get
>> malware installed on Android devices.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
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