Re: Google ps over Androidj ib

[Nick Gagliardi <ngagliardi33 () YAHOO COM>]

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From:         Adam Carlson <ajcarlson () BERKELEY EDU>
Sender:       The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv <SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU>
Date:         Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:57:25 
To: <SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU>
Reply-To:     The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv
              <SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU>
Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Google power over Android

I completely agree that the way in which this was handled was obviously haphazard and ad-hoc, which are two things you 
really don't like to see in any type of managed computing environment.  However, in this particular case (which is the 
only case I'm aware of in which Google has taken such actions) I do not think that it could be considered 
anti-security.  According to the article, the apps that were removed were essentialy Proof-of-Concept rootkits which 
were still phoning home and attempting to download illicit code which could have eventually done something malicious:

"Oberheide built an application dubbed RootStrap that periodically phoned home to retrieve native code that executed 
outside of Dalvik, the Android Java virtual machine. Then he distributed the tool through the Market in the guise of 
another application – Twilight Eclipse Preview – which purported to be a sneak peek of the upcoming Twilight teen 
vampire flick."

The apps had already been removed from the app store voluntarily by the author and there wasn't anyone who should have 
actually been using the apps as they were phony to being with.  

The concern raised by this shouldn't stem from the fact that Google removed these apps without notice, but rather that 
your users may have installed them in the first place and never known the implications (meaning they could be running 
rootkits without your knowledge).  If Google uses this power to remove applications that have known rootkit behavior, I 
don't think they'll get much grief from me.  Like most people, I would prefer this power not exist, but I wouldn't 
consider this particular example an abuse.  

And FWIW, Apple has much more draconian control over their apps, so if control over your device is something you value, 
then the Android is still a much better choice than an iPhone.  I would say the iPhone is a better choice for people 
who specifically want others to control their experience and environment (including which apps you're allowed to run on 
your phone).

-Adam


randy marchany wrote:
> Something sinister about this statement:
>
> "Google has the power to not only remove applications from users'
> Android phones, but remotely install them as well."
>
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/28/google_remote_android_application_install/
>
> Guess we have to start re-evaluating our smart phone initiatives......
>
> -Randy Marchany
> VA Tech IT Security Office & Lab.

-- 
Adam Carlson
Chief Security Officer
Information Technology
Residential and Student Service Programs
Tel: 510-643-0631
Email: ajcarlson () berkeley edu

"Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." ~Louis D. Brandeis