Last week, ZDNet posted a story that a 25-year-old named Trevor Eckhart discovered and documented a rootkit hidden in millions of cellphones including Apple iOS handsets. Users running iOS 5.0 or later. (iPhone 4S and upgraded iPhone 4 and 3GS handsets) can disable the Carrier IQ rootkit on their phones (see here). Since August, 2010 I’ve been among the many users beating their heads against the wall trying to figure out why the iPhone data usage is seemingly wrong. Granted my iPhone is now a relic (original iPhone iOS 3.1.3), and the disputed data usage that customers have spans internationally and with different carriers.
Carrier IQ, the originator of the rootkit, threatened legal action to silence Eckhart but the Electronic Frontier Foundation stepped in and Eckhart got an apology instead from Carrier IQ.
Now I don’t think this is the source of phantom data usage, but I do believe it's a contributor, but not to all phones--just millions of them. The FCC seems content with AT&T’s response to customer complaints. For those seeking information about these complaints, the FCC charges a fee to file and to obtain information that may or may not be provided based upon what is requested.
These bobble heads at the FCC are tasked to actually do something and have a great opportunity. I don’t think anyone has successfully reined in their iPhone data usage and can actually account for it, at least in the detail that resolves any question. Again, there are numerous reasons why users cannot reasonably control their usage and it’s seemingly a stacked deck against them. You can review my prior posts here: iPhone Phantom Data Usage UPDATES.
Watching the posted videos proves more that enterprise should have concerns and at the end of one video, Eckhart posts questions he would like to have answers to, and they are disconcerting. One question that he wrote:
Why is my Browser data being read, especially HTTPs on my WiFi?
Eckhart's video suggests that every keystroke is being logged and tracked.
Later in the day, mobile companies responded to the Carrier IQ allegations here as did Apple. Then, Senator Al Franken raised more questions here. The key question aside from the privacy and potential security issues involving consumers and enterprises still remains, “Who pays for the transmission of this information?”
See:
Mobile "Rootkit" Maker Tries to Silence Critical Android Dev
Mobile "Rootkit" Maker Apologizes to Critical Android Dev It Tried to Silence
So, there's a rootkit hidden in millions of cellphones
How to disable the Carrier IQ "rootkit" on your iPhone
Mobile companies respond to Carrier IQ controversy
Senator demands answers over Carrier IQ mobile phone tracking
