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New Permission System Could Make Android Much Less Secure
capedgirardeau writes: An update to the Google Play store now groups app permissions into collections of related permissions, making them much less fine grained and potentially misleading for users. For example, the SMS permissions group would allow an app access to both reading and sending SMS messages. The problem is that once an app has access to the group of permissions, it can make use of any of the allowed actions at any time without ever informing the user. As Google explains: "It's a good idea to review permissions groups before downloading an app. Once you've allowed an app to access a permissions group, the app may use any of the individual permissions that are part of that group. You won't need to manually approve individual permissions updates that belong to a permissions group you've already accepted."
I don't think it has to be explained why this is a potential problem. So then, it should be explained why this is such a great idea that the problems it creates are insignificant.
Makes me glad I run a Windows 8.1 phone.
One feature I really want on my cell is the ability to tell the app that I've given it all the permissions it is asking for, but behind the scenes remove that ability from the app. This is especially for apps like games that ask for all permissions, but only really need a few. I should be able to accept the game onto my system and then after adjusting the app's permissions, it would receive garbage contact details, garbage friend details, garbage location data, garbage file listings, messages go to /dev/null, etc.
I'm sure if I root my device I could do something like that, but I just wish something like that was built in. {I kinda feel safer in my walled garden, easier to recover from garbage apps.}
I want to have a settings page where I can go in whenever I want and selectively disable permissions.
This just sounds like more dumbed down version.
And, cynically, I believe that Google is doing this to ensure they can still collect data on you, and the people using their advertising services can continue to do to.
This is why when I download a new app, the first thing I do is try it in airplane mode. If it's not an application which should require access to the interwebs, but tries to access it, it gets deleted.
I must say, I'm disappointed in this. Because I want more control over app permissions, not less.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Yes. It absolutely IS possible. Cyanogen calls it Privacy Guard, and I have it enabled by default, such that anything I install from Play automatically gets blocked unless I go in and enable something specific.
Google wants companies to actually write apps for the Google Play store. If they give end-users too much power over the permissions, they drive companies out of the Google Play store and over to the Apple store.
On the other hand, Google also wants end-users to actually buy these products. By grouping permissions up, they seem innocuous, so users feel less threatened (even though they should feel more threatened) and will buy the stuff.
From a business perspective, this move makes perfect sense. From an educated geek end-user's perspective, it really sucks. But what are you going to do? The world you want to live in does not exist.