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Rogers, Telus, Bell, Virgin, Fido and Videotron confirm that Carrier IQ is not present on their devices
We have waited a while to step into the fray of Carrier IQ in Canada. The reason? There is a lot of speculation, and a LOT of hyperbole, being thrown around, from “Android is insecure” to “This is the end of privacy!”
Carrier IQ seems to be a piece of software that, at the behest of the carrier, tracks certain information on a user’s phone. It can record keystrokes, app usage and even location, but at this point it is not known whether that info is ever sent back to the carrier. The upshot is that it is installed by the carrier, not by the manufacturer.
In the US, Carrier IQ has been found on Android, BlackBerry and Symbian devices from three of the top four carriers, and trace amounts have been uncovered in older iOS firmwares, though they don’t appear to be tracking anything. The discovery was made by a security researcher, Trevor Eckhart, who discovered the software on his Android device, calling the insidious inclusion a rootkit. Carrier IQ then sent him a cease-and-desist letter, which it then retracted as Eckhart was in his rights to pursue an investigation
Rogers has done an investigation and has confirmed that Carrier IQ is not present on any of its devices. On Twitter they stated that “Hi all. I’m happy to confirm that we have investigated and Carrier IQ is NOT on any of our devices”. TELUS also confirmed that they have not installed Carrier IQ on any of their devices. We are waiting to hear back from Bell.
Update: We’ve heard from Bell and Videotron. Both confirm that Carrier IQ is not on any of their devices. Bell stated in an email that “Bell doesn’t install or support Carrier IQ or similar programs. You may want to connect with the device manufacturers for the industry-wide perspective”. ^ IH
Update #2: Virgin also is included in the list of carriers now that Carrier IQ is not present on any of their devices. ^IH
Update #3: Fido has now come forth and followed the other carriers. On Twitter they noted that “Carrier IQ is not on any of our devices.” ^IH
Source: RogersMary (Twitter)
Discussion
64 comments for “Rogers, Telus, Bell, Virgin, Fido and Videotron confirm that Carrier IQ is not present on their devices”
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bell? or virgin? better not have it either!
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I changed my Rogers rom on my Arc to the international rom to get rid of the Rogers bloatware. I wonder if the Int version I put on has it on there????
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No, so far only US carrier subscribers are targeted. You can check yours with a program developed by TrevE http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=17612559&postcount=110
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LG Optimus Chic seems CIQ-clean to me.
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lol there’s no way for you to know unless if you are pretty experienced with this kinda thing. but im sure u the chic doesn’t have it
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@Sanjay http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=17612559&postcount=110
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There’s an app that lets you check for CIQ, eh?
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I’m sure it’s something similar but just not CarrierIQ.
I wouldn’t put it past Rogers or Telus to have spyware on their devices.
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here is the thing, even if it was on the phones (and it probably is) do you really think ROGERS, TELUS or Bell would actually admit it and create and privacy and PR firestorm?
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Yes. Because if they say no, then are found to actually install the software, the shitstorm would be of epic proportions.. well, for the 500 people in canada who KNOW what Carrier IQ is..
Or until some politician takes it and runs with the rage it can generate.
“Elect me as PM and I will lance this wound that is Carrier IQ in Canada…” or some such drivel…
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But then the company donates to the politician and it gets removed from the election promises.
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Carrier IQ seems to be used by only Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile in the US, and it’s included in the iPhone as well so it’s not limited to Android at all. Outside of the US it doesn’t seem to be used… or at least no one has found it yet.
Is anyone even sure what this software actually tracks though? For now this seems like nothing more than the newest tech witch-hunt.
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Hmmm I would like to see some outside information on weather or not its installed on my Telus device. Seriously wouldnt believe Robelus on their word alone.
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Trevor Eckhart made an application to verify if you are “infected”. Check on XDADevelopper to download it. So it don’t matter if Rogers or Bell lie… you still can find out by yourself.
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@Guile Yes you can find out but you need a rooted device to do so.
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meh apparently iOS has it but it doesn’t do as much
http://blog.chpwn.com/post/13572216737?fe250de0
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Carrier IQ recently stated last week that they did not record keystrokes, did not record sms, etc… but it seems like they were lying through their false teeth just to save face. So what exactly is preventing our Cdn carriers from doing the same? Trust them – I think not. If we do not have a tool to independently validate this, then we need to have these hackers have a look at our Cdn devices. I don’t trust the big 3 for a second.
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I find it hard to believe that CarrierIQ isn’t on any of their devices, as it’s been shown to be present in iOS…which Rogers and Telus both sell.
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It’a not on iOS 5 and in the older versions, it was only tracking crash datas and was opted-out by default, so it really isn’t invasive.
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I don’t have to worry about this if I have Cyanogenmod 7 on my SGS2, right?
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Yeah okay bs, maybe that’s what the higher ups want the public to think. They’re all in this game for money, if they get offered enough they’ll make sure its on there.
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Makes sense. Anyone who wants Rogers to be their carrier has a low IQ.
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Oh bell, you are soooo f****d!!!
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Okay, here is TrevE’s web site where he explains everything the carrierIQ software is doing: http://androidsecuritytest.com/features/logs-and-services/loggers/carrieriq/
Here is his app for detecting CarrierIQ: http://androidsecuritytest.com/features/logs-and-services/loggers/
NOTE: You do NOT have to be rooted to use this app to _detect_ CarrierIQ.
As TrevE says himself, “This will detect Carrier IQ regardless if you are rooted or not.”
Here is an article about the carrierIQ issue wherein TrevE responds to CarrierIQ with actual video of the software on an HTC device at bootup. http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/security-researcher-responds-to-carrieriq-with-video-proof-20111129/
For those of you questioning Rogers (and @RogersMary) I am the one who asked her about it originally via email and Twitter. I have met Mary many times, and have corresponded with her ever since the whole Android 1.5/1.6 for Dream/Magic fiasco. I believe her, and not just because I know her, but because I told her that regardless of the answer, we in the Canadian Android community would be testing our phones _anyway_. So if Rogers officially says it’s not there (and Mary’s tweets are considered official) and we subsequently find it, as has been mentioned, storms of s**t will fall from the sky! (Hyperbole, I know). I also told Mary that if we find Carrier IQ on our phones, I would be submitting an official complaint to the Canadian Privacy Commissioner.
I haven’t had time to test yet, but I will be checking my Nexus S and my wife’s Moto Flipout this weekend. From what I’ve read the official Google phones (Nexus line) do not have this installed.
@mjsoctober
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[...] the second: Daniel Bader posts that two of the major Canadian mobile operators stated that Carrier IQ is not on the devices [...]
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Not surprising Bell hasn’t commented. They gave up their customer info to the company trying to sue people for downloading The Hurt Locker. While technically it was a court order, they were the only company that hadn’t tried to fight for their customers rights during the music download battles. Rogers/Shaw/Telus actually did go to court to protect their clients.
And there was that recent article on Mobile Syrup that showed bell to have about double the complaints (per customer) of the other major carriers.
Bell really doesn’t give a s**t about their customers!
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Although I don’t trust Bell, it also wouldn’t surprise me if Rogers and Telus do have carrierIQ on their phones just under a different name. For example “we don’t have carrierIQ. The CANADIAN version is Stealyour infoIQ.”
Get them to say publicly that they don’t have ANY data logging software/spyware similar to carrierIQ under any name and maybe that will count for something.
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The important question is does any carrier have a product that does the same thing as Carrier IQ.
Let’s have feedback from all the Canadian carriers. them on that question
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I think the main reason none of the carriers here in Canada are subscribing to CarrierIQ on their devices is simple: PIPEDA: http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/P-8.6/
These laws are put in place so that they cannot gain any information from users without their explicit consent. Failure to do so can and will result in hefty fines.
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I really hope our privacy is being protected.
By-the-way has anyone read that wee piece of paper Toys R Us “makes” you sign in order to return a product for refund? It’s nasty!
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I am no lawyer but you signed a contract saying you are accepting the terms of use. Somewhere it says something about collecting personal information.
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Bell just tweeted: “… We don’t install or support CarrierIQ or similar programs. Thanks!” I’m not how official that is since Bell only started using twitter yesterday…
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ok so Canadian providers don’t use CarrierIQ….. You can bet that they call it something else though.
Just checked my HTC desire ans ohhh lookie here an app that wont be force stopped and ohhh look at its permissions its tied into EVERYTHING and can even take pictures if it was instructed to do so, read text messages and the list goes on.
If you think there is not a Canadian version to this, pull your head out of the sand!
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@bell_mobility and Virgin Mobile Canada both tweeted they don’t use it either. Guess Canada is safe.
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@Will – Not quite. They confirmed that they don’t use “CarrierIQ”, but I’m quite certain that they have a Canadian firm doing something similar as CarrierIQ.
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Bell, at least, stated that “Bell doesn’t install or support Carrier IQ OR SIMILAR PROGRAMS.” So I think we’re safe, for the moment. I’m guessing it’s a similar scenario from the other carriers.
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I can confirm that bell isn’t lying, at least with regards to their xt860. Tested with the app on XDA.
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Just wanted to say: Thank You, for this article.
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[...] can breathe a sigh of relief as our privacy laws are stricter than that of our southern neighbours. All the major Canadian carriers have confirmed that Carrier IQ is NOT present on their devices. This includes Bell (the parent company of Sync), Rogers, Telus, Videotron, and [...]
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Keep it together, people. These little computers we’re all running have the same rules as our desktops, more or less. Any Android user worth their salt should have a task / process manager app installed and flip through it every once in a while. That’s how Carrier IQ was found (the video on YouTube displays it in the standard Android task list even). There are also traffic managers that will show how much traffic comes into and goes out of your phone (sometimes even down to what is being sent, and where). A little knowledge will go a long way.
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Just waiting for the official word from the carriers. Sure, Rogers, Telus said they don’t use it, but what of their offspring, Chatr, Koodoo?
I’m not letting this slide until an official word is released.
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Just check your terms of service. Most allow them to collect private info. Virgin Mobile goes even further and explicitly says they can do anything to any data you send through their service, including selling it for their profit (http://www.virginmobile.ca/en/support/legal-terms.html as of Dec 1, 2011):
“Any Content transmitted through or to the Services by you will be considered non-confidential and non-proprietary. Virgin Mobile and its Suppliers (as defined below) have no obligations with respect to Content. Virgin Mobile, its Suppliers and designees will be free to copy, disclose, distribute, incorporate and otherwise use the Content and all data, images, sounds, text, and other things embodied therein for any and all commercial or non-commercial purposes. You agree to grant to Virgin Mobile a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual license, with the right to sublicense, reproduce, distribute, transmit, create derivative works of, or publicly display any Content submitted, transmitted or posted by you through or on the Services.”
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Sorry for the companies commenting they don’t use it, i don’t trust them really much. Verizon in USA denied it and people found that Verizon was lying and that CarrierIQ exit on some Android smartphones.
And for the canadian law… there is an equivalent in USA, it’s not something that will prevent a telecom company from doing it if no one know this.
So test it by yourself: No need to root for detect, just for removal: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=17612559&postcount=110
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I agree with Someone
Let’s see these spies actually state they do not have ANY spyware on their phones
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Why aren’t we hearing confirmation from the new entrants?
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Yea…I wonder why wind & mobilicity has responded yet. Maybe it’s cause they have something to hide.
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I can confirm on the Telus SGS2X, CIQ was present but wasn’t turning on for logging.
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ReDz, you posted ‘I can confirm on the Telus SGS2X, CIQ was present but wasn’t turning on for logging’.
How did you confirm this?
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I did find Carrier IQ on a Rogers branded android smartphone (LG Phoenix to be exact). Sporting the Carrier IQ logo, I found com.carrieriq.iqagent
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The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and arc on Rogers are Carrier IQ-free.
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Everyone is talking about CarrierIQ but where one such tool exists so do others. What other companies make the same kind of tool and/or what in-house built tools does Telus/Rogers/Bell/etc. have on our phones that do the same thing?
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Carrier IQ detected and running on my Nexus S. Koodo carrier. BASTARDS.
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I can confirm carrier iq is on my telus samsung galaxy fascinate 4g.
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CarrierIQ is installed… and active on both mine and my wifes Samsung Infuse through Rogers…
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The question that Canadian carriers should answer is whether they are using any logger, not just CIQ. They could have their own version. I better stop using my iPhone for online banking until this is answered.
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Quote, “TELUS also confirmed that they have not installed Carrier IQ on any of their devices.”, unquote. Maybe that TELUS is aware of at this point or what they want their customers to believe. On my wife’s phone, a TELUS Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate 4G+, CIQ is detected in the following locations in the root of the phone, ROM Binaries and Daemons: /system/xbin/iqbridged and Suspicious Classes: com.carrieriq.iqagent.service.receivers.bootcompletedreceiver. Detected using Voodoo CarrierIQ Detector v.2.0.5. TELUS will be getting a call tomorrow… from a landline!
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Seems like some carriers say “We have confirmed that we have not installed Carrier IQ”, and some say “It’s not present on our handsets”. Big difference here, seeing as the OEM’s of phones are customers of Carrier IQ and that they could put it on before hand.
Shady.
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Looks like its installed on my optimus lte, but not running.
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[citation needed]
I appreciate the link to @RogersMary, but where are the original sources for the other carriers?
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Just ran the carrier iq checking software and my LG Optimus One from Telus HAS Carrier IQ on it, tested positive! HAve emailed Telus waiting on a reply.
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I have a Samsung Infuse on Rogers. I used 2 different apps (Voodoo Carrier IQ detector and Lockout Carrier IQ detector) and both found that CIQ was on my phone. I don’t trust or like rogers but damn it they have the best signal.
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Wind has confirmed
Update: WIND Mobile doesn’t request/activate Carrier IQ on devices. Providers confirmed no WIND handsets have this software pre-installed.
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I have an LG Phoenix with Rogers and it is on my phone…Im going to Rogers to prove them wrong..
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