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Google Has Android Remote App Install Power, Too

Posted by timothy on from the coming-and-going dept.

Trailrunner7 writes "The remote-wipe capability that Google recently invoked to remove a harmless application from some Android phones isn't the only remote control feature that the company built into its mobile OS. It turns out that Android also includes a feature that enables Google to remotely install apps on users' phones as well. Jon Oberheide, the security researcher who developed the application that Google remotely removed from Android phones, noticed during his research that the Android OS includes a feature called INSTALL_ASSET that allows Google to remotely install applications on users' phones. 'I don't know what design decision they based that on. Maybe they just figured since they had the removal mechanism, it's easy to have the install mechanism too,' Oberheide said in an interview. 'I don't know if they've used it yet.'"

13 of 278 comments (clear)

  1. They also removed the restraining bold from C3PO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Google has been taken over by Jawas.

  2. Good thing that wasn't Apple by BlueBoxSW.com · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slashdot headline would have been:

    "Evil Apple Hides Secret Rootkit Installer on All iPhones"

    1. Re:Good thing that wasn't Apple by Mitchell314 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Then it wouldn't have been news. :P

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    2. Re:Good thing that wasn't Apple by chromas · · Score: 2, Funny

      "Apple Hides Secret Rootkit Installer on iPhone 4"
      There, now it's news.

    3. Re:Good thing that wasn't Apple by Darkness404 · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, no, the real news is "Disable hidden secret Apple rootkit by holding iPhone in left hand!"

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  3. It's to reinstall malware that they removed... by John+Hasler · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...when Slashdot raises a stink about them removing it.

    "Oops. Sorry. Here's your keylogger back."

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  4. Really Really Really? No. by Kludge · · Score: 5, Funny

    My "most modern phone", the N900, is not bound to any carrier, and I am quite certain that my carrier does not have the ability or a clue how to install anything on it. I'm root. Not them.

    Apple and Android folks: Enjoy being someone else's bitch.

    Was this post obnoxious? Yes, in a very nerdy way.

  5. Re:No by bertoelcon · · Score: 4, Funny

    -Steve

    Woz, doesn't Apple give you Iphones anyway?

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  6. Re:kinda scary by AnAdventurer · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am working one it. Just one more line of code, almost there.

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  7. Re:kinda scary by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wait! I didn't post that!!

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  8. Re:They also removed the restraining bold from C3P by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 2, Funny

    Exactly, and he did so first!

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  9. My response by hey! · · Score: 3, Funny

    I cast "root device" then "alter /etc/hosts".

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  10. Re:kinda scary by SETIGuy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why would they need to? They could write an app to do it. And then they wouldn't need to hack google.

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