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Developer Hit with Cease and Desist Order for CarrierIQ Investigations

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You surely remember HTC’s recent data snafu. It was discovered that software in their recent handsets was designed to track and collect plenty of personal information, data that was vulnerable to discovery. HTC recognized the problem and quickly set about to issue a fix, but the long-term implications of the ordeal are still being felt.

The initial issue with leaky data put developer Trevor Eckhart (TrevE on XDA) on a search which eventually culminated in a lengthy investigation into CarrierIQ, the software behind HTC’s data tracking. In an effort to inform the community and spread word of CarrierIQ’s practices, Eckhart was transparent in what he uncovered, bringing the practices of CarrierIQ to light. The company is not happy, and has issued a Cease and Desist order demanding that Eckhart remove all of his postings on the software and issue a formal statement dismissing any claims he has made against the software maker.

Eckhart has reached out to the Electronic Frontier Foundation for counseling, and is standing firm in his fight against CarrierIQ. The EFF sees the allegations as bogus, stating that Eckhart “used and made available these materials in order to educate consumers and security researchers about the functionality of your software, which he believes raises substantial privacy concerns.”

[via XDA, TechCrunch | Thanks to all who sent this in!]

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14 Comments

  1. The depths to which this “software”/rootkit infiltrates your device is absolutely astounding, and the company’s subsequent reaction reveals the sinister nature of data mining and collection.

    1. they are slimy doushebags…I hope someone puts some hurt on them.

  2. We’re standing behing you and with you TrevE

  3. Go TrevE! down with subsidized spyware!

  4. Thank goodness for organizations like the EFF.  The whole letter from the EFF to CarrierIQ is worth the read.

    1. I agree with both statements. Excuse my french but

      Fuck carrier IQ

      1. Echoed in Philly
        Fuck Carrier IQ in the eye!
        Scumbags disguised as a business. Invading our privacy had me and my entire family’s private information out basically in public for anyone to view our information and identity. I hate them and companies like them with every fiber of my being.
        HTC and Sprint can both kiss my ass too.
        In future I’m going with Nexus phones with raw google….or phones without the spyware rootkits embedded.
        Treve- open a paypal so we can send monetary donations so you can fight these assholes in court…I got 100 on it bro.
        Fight the Power…we got to fight the powers that be!
        (Public Enemy-1991)

        1. why the eye? why not the ear?

    2. Wow, the letter to CIQ was amazing! Seriously, totally worth the read.

  5. You know what this reminds me of. The recent Apple App Developer Account lockout of Dr. Charlie Miller who has been pointing out that the notion of Apple’s products not been prone to hacks is naive and a downright lie. He loves what he does and he likes Apple products and the fact that he has made Macs more secure because of his exploits gets him axed from bringing up these issues is kind of sad and downright stupid. Instead of doing something like this and what has happened to Eckhart, why don’t you hire them to help you fix these problems instead of bringing bad publicity on yourselves for doing stupid stuff like this. I will never understand companies that have this sort of mentality.

    http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/18/the-engadget-interview-dr-charlie-miller/

  6. We wit you trevE. Stick to yo guns.

  7. You can donate directly to TrevE by going to http://InfectedROM.com

  8. F**k HTC Apple wannabe eh?

  9. Apparently this software can also be used to tell what apps you have installed (IE WIFI tether), if your phone is rooted, and anything else they want to know. It’s no wonder the phone providers want this on their phones. Just another reason to install CM7

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