Comment on Hundreds of smartphone apps are monitoring users through their microphones

solrize@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

• nalinna@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

  Is that to say that it’s no longer valid? Or just that it’s old news? The list of apps associated with the software is still pretty extensive; Google Assistant even showed up.

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  • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    Well these days Android asks for more permissions so I guess it would prevent it in many cases by preventing access to the microphone for apps where you don’t want it…

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    • cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨22⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

      Android also shows an indicator when any app is accessing the microphone or camera now.

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      • 0x0@infosec.pub ⁨19⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

        nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-21083

        There are probably other exploits around that as well

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    • phoenixz@lemmy.ca ⁨21⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

      Yeah, most people just click beyond that in a millisecond because it’s just an an annoyance between them and the needed dopamine.

      I think app stores can do a whole lot more, especially with he insane amounts of money they’re earning from it (hello and fuck you, apple). They can make microphone access a special privilege that requires the developer to make a special request that gets verified on the app store before the app can be released, for example

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      • chiliedogg@lemmy.world ⁨15⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

        I think a middle ground may be having that requirement for background mic usage, or usage without a specific user prompt that turns on a mic.

        Lots of apps have legitimate use for the mic. Apps having legitimate use for the mic while you’re not actively using the app on screen are more limited and need stricter permissions.

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    • WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works ⁨18⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

      it has always asked for mic permission so no change on that front

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  • thangcuoi@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    7 years is a long time in tech.

    Google Assistant is supposed to listen for the “Hey Google” trigger word. How else do you expect to use your device hand-free.

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    • bonsai@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨23⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

      No, 2018 wasn’t 7 years ago… No… Wait please…! :'(

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    • gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨10⁩ ⁨hours⁩ ago

      It also does it completely locally, using an on-device chip. If your phone has the Google assistant on it, disable all Internet and try the wake phrase, it’ll work. Nothing else does, because it has to phone home for that, but the wake phrase handling IS on-device. Can’t even turn the flashlight on otherwise tho lol, even if you use what we used to call the power button (new name for it? Lock button?) and type what you want it bitches about internet

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  • PattyMcB@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    Old news. It was old news in 2018

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