Michal Ždanský Carrier IQ – this name is currently inflected in all mobile media. It was discovered on Android, Blackberry, and iOS didn't escape it either. What is it about? This unobtrusive software or "rootkit", which is part of the phone's firmware, collects information about the use of the phone and can log your every click.
This whole affair started with the discovery of a researcher Trevor Eckhart, who demonstrated the spy's activity in a YouTube video. The company of the same name is behind the development of this software, and its customers are mobile operators. Carrier IQ can record practically everything you do on your phone. Call quality, dialed numbers, signal strength or your location. These tools are typically used by operators to improve their services, but the list goes on far beyond the information operators need for customer satisfaction.
The program can also record dialed numbers, numbers that you have entered and not dialed, every written letter in e-mails or an address that you have entered in a mobile browser. Sound like Big Brother to you? According to the manufacturer's website, the program is found in more than 140 million mobile devices worldwide. You'll find it on Android phones (except Google's Nexus series phones), RIM's Blackberry, and iOS.
However, Apple has distanced itself from CIQ and removed it from almost all devices in iOS 5. The only exception is the iPhone 4, where data collection can be turned off in the Settings app. After the presence of Carrier IQ in phones became known, all manufacturers are trying to get their hands off it. For example, HTC claims that the presence of the software was required by US carriers. They, in turn, defend themselves by saying that they only use the data to improve their services, not to collect personal data. The American operator Verizon does not use CIQ at all.
The company at the center of the incident, Carrier IQ, also commented on the situation, saying: "We measure and summarize device behavior to help operators improve their services."The Company denies that the Software records, stores or sends the content of SMS messages, emails, photos or videos. However, many unanswered questions still remain, such as why both virtual and physical button and keystrokes are recorded. The only partial explanation so far is that pressing a certain sequence of keys can be used by service personnel, which can trigger the sending of diagnostic information, while the presses are only logged, but not saved.
In the meantime, even higher authorities began to take an interest in the situation. US Senator Al Franken has already requested an explanation from the company and a detailed analysis of how the software works, what it records and which data is passed on to third parties (operators). German regulators have also been active and, like the US senator's office, are demanding detailed information from Carrier IQ.
For example, the presence of the software violates the US Wiretapping and Computer Fraud Act. Currently, lawsuits have already been filed in federal court in Wilmington, USA by three local law firms. On the side of the defendants are the local operators T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint, as well as mobile device manufacturers Apple, HTC, Motorola and Samsung.
Apple already promised last week that it will remove Carrier IQ completely in future iOS updates. If you have iOS 5 installed on your phone, don't worry, CIQ no longer applies to you, only iPhone 4 owners need to turn it off manually. You can find this option in Settings > General > Diagnostics and usage > Do not send. We will continue to inform you about further developments around Carrier IQ.
Sources: macworld.com, TUAW.com
the American senator is probably behind his lips and therefore he is very interested in what anyone can know :)
Settings > General > Usage ... I don't see any diagnostics there (version 4.3)
iOS 5 required
Right is:
General – information – diagnostics and usage – do not send
Settings > General > Information > Diagnostics and usage > Do not send
What about iOS 4.x?
What about older Apple phones? iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS?
Last mani smulu :D
only in IOS 5 it is disabled and can be turned on/off. in IOS 3,4 it's hidden and you can't turn it off without a jailbreak - yet it still communicates in IOS 3,4... upgrade your iphone to 5.x or turn off your iphone or accept that you're a number on the carrier iq website...
Dragons
Is there a way to delete the files from the Diagnostics and usage data please? (iPh4 + iOs 5.0.1 without JB)