CarrierIQ spyware now found on iOS, Android, Blackberry and Symbian – only Windows Phone not implicated so far

December 1, 2011 | By Surur

We don’t know if its simply due to not being investigated yet, but so far only Windows Phone 7 appears not to be infected with the Carrier IQ software, which is installed on not just millions of Android and Blackberry devices, but also installed on iOS, so far thought to be immune due to Apple’s supervision.

It is interesting however that, once Apple became involved, the tone of the conversation suddenly changed, with chpwn, who found the software on iOS noting:

It appears that if you really care about this, Windows Phone 7 is the only mobile operating system without this installed. ;P However, I think the blame here really belongs with the US carriers who obviously demanded this: personally, I am completely fine with this data being sent off (especially if it helps AT&T’s network improve), but I would definitely prefer if it was more transparent — even if you can disable it with that toggle, Apple only explains that it “might contain location data”.

CarrierIQ is likely a carrier requirement, but no-one likes being spied on, and so far, as far as we know, the only platform free of this scrounge, which is installed on 142 million devices, is Windows Phone 7.

Users on other platforms are free to switch – I hear AT&T have some pretty good deals these days

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About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged carrieriq, security, spyware, windows phone 7.5

http://www.exponere.com barneyc

Confirmed by Nokia PR that CarrierIQ is not installed on their phones https://twitter.com/#!/MarkDatNokia/status/142177149099577344

Anonymous

Agreed.

Another official reply from Nokia:
https://twitter.com/#!/jurthys/status/141856513542205440

translated (this is my mother tongue btw):

“Just to make this clear: Nokia installs NO carrierIQ on it’s products”

Please add this to the topic guys.

Anonymous

Google has a hell of a lot of explaining to do.

Anonymous

I think Carrier IQ is a horrible idea, but you can’t blame Google for it. Custom ROMs built from vanilla Android don’t have it installed. The software is put in there by either the hardware maker or the carrier, to provide analytics for them.

Anonymous

What about the Nexus line? Are those free of Carrier IQ? Because supposedly they are stock android and have no OEM/carrier customization.

Anonymous

Doesn’t appear to be, according to a search I did this morning. Someone checked ‘vanilla’ devices such as the XOOM and the Galaxy Nexus and it wasn’t there.
Anonymous

Googles own branded phones do not have it.

http://www.facebook.com/NaibStilgar Stilgar Naib

I wonder if this is not present on WP’s or they just can’t find it yet.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=816451109 Mitchell Jared Skurnik

I have been packet inspecting the windows phone for some time. There is nothing that is sent now unless you opt into the anonymous data tracking.

Anonymous

If you read the blog post linked in the article this appears to be what’s happening on iOS also – it only runs if you opt in to data logging and reporting.
Anonymous

Not necessarily true. You can opt out on Android phones too but it does it anyway behind the scenes.

Anonymous

This looks awesome! Where can I install it?
Monkey D Black

this is why I use Windows Phone 7
rsgx

Good news. Let’s hope it stays this way.

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