Al Franken Calls On Carrier IQ To Explain Mobile Tracking Software

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) is calling on a developer to provide details of hidden software installed on smartphones that logs numerous details about users' activities.

In a letter sent Thursday to Carrier IQ president Larry Lenhart, Franken asked for an explanation of what the company's software records, whether it transmits data to a third party and whether the data presents any security or privacy risks. Franken said the software's capabilities may violate federal laws.

Earlier this week, security researcher Trevor Eckhart posted a video detailing how Carrier IQ's software -- which has the same name -- logs every text message, web search and phone number typed on a wide variety of smartphones and reports them to the mobile phone carrier.

The application also logs a user's location and the URL of websites searched on the phone, even if the user intends to encrypt that data using a URL that begins with "HTTPS," Eckhart said in the video. The software always runs when Android's operating system is running and users are unable to stop it.

"Consumers need to know that their safety and privacy are being protected by the companies they trust with their sensitive information," Franken said. "The revelation that the locations and other sensitive data of millions of Americans are being secretly recorded and possibly transmitted is deeply troubling."

Franken, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology & the Law, said Eckhart's findings show the need for Congress to pass legislation protecting the sensitive information of consumers.

"But right now, Carrier IQ has a lot of questions to answer," Franken said.

In a post about Carrier IQ on his website, Eckhart called the software a "rootkit," a security term for software that runs in the background without a user's knowledge and is commonly used in malicious software.

Carrier IQ could not be reached for comment. But the company told Wired.com that its software is used for "€œgathering information off the handset to understand the mobile-user experience, where phone calls are dropped, where signal quality is poor, why applications crash and battery life."

Founded in 2005, Carrier IQ describes itself on its website as "the world's leading provider of Mobile Service Intelligence solutions."

Huffington Post reporter Jason Gilbert has a rundown here of which mobile phone operating systems are installed with Carrier IQ.

As a result of this controversy, a number of mobile carriers and device manufacturers have come forward to clarify their relationship with CIQ. Take a look at our slideshow (below) to read statements from Apple, Google, Microsoft, Verizon, AT&T, HTC, Nokia, RIM and others. Then, check out Carrier IQ's official statement (here).

Comments

[Anthony Martin]

08:49 PM on 12/15/2011

Why is it; my first thoughts were that Carrier IQ is a private company financed by the CIA in order to data mine and spy on citizens. But then I thought...that would only happen in a totalitarian police state.

[pomango]

11:28 PM on 12/05/2011

I think I might be the only one who doesn't care about this, I have an Apple iPhone 3GS btw. I dunno, I feel like only criminals should be seriously concerned about this but that's just me being silly I guess, whatever.

[myplenny]

10:36 PM on 12/05/2011

They will be taking our guns when they get them catologed

[pakistanfashion]

03:37 PM on 12/04/2011

i like it
Regards,
MUHAMMAD OMER-24389

[Realist2011]

12:36 AM on 12/04/2011

Senator Franken, there are a lot of people that have questions to answer. Here's my list.

Please name all of the companies that have purchased this software from IQ.

Please ask the manufacturers why it's only installed (so far as we know now) in US versions of these phones, and not in phones sold in Canada as well.

Please ask each carrier for any correspondence between the manufacturer of the software, the US government and the carriers regarding this software.

Please request that the Justice Department file suit against the carriers, the telephone manufacturers and the software company for illegal invasion of privacy/wire tapping.

Please ask Homeland Security if they have anything to do with this.
The question to DHS will have to be very specific and detailed, or they'll lie by not telling the whole truth)
Please ask the carriers if any information is being provided, sent to, allowed to be seen by (every possible version) anyone outside of the carriers employees.

Please ask the carriers if DHS or any other agency has ever requested this information from any carrier, whether in writing or orally.

That might just be a decent start. But you'll have to be very, very careful of the answers, because they'll hide as much of the truth as possible, so maybe the questions should be in writing, and given to them under oath in a Senate hearing that's televised.

[jonphotog]

07:30 PM on 12/04/2011

Like they'll tell the truth and noting but truth so help help them God! Yea right! If you don't want to be tracked lose the smart phone. Can you? Many of us wouldn't know what to do with out it.
Remember President Obama he lost his Blackberry just after he elected.

[Night Watchman]

12:13 PM on 12/12/2011

When's the next UFO sighting?

[Timothy Ven]

02:40 AM on 12/03/2011

"T-Mobile utilizes the Carrier IQ diagnostic tool to troubleshoot device and network performance with the goal of enhancing network reliability and our customers' experience ."

This feels like a load of hogwash to me. The reason being, I can sit still and not move my phone at all and have my signal bar fluctuate wildly, anywhere from full bars to no service and everything in between. The no service periods can last several minutes. This isn't an occasional occurrence either, but a daily thing. Having had my phone for over a year now, you'd think I would have heard of anything going on towards fixing this issue. It should be noted I do not live in a rural area either.

[Ron Fuller]

04:22 PM on 12/02/2011

Would it make any difference if it was found that start up and general support of CIQ was assisted by undercover US Spook agencies?

[Caged Ideas]

01:42 PM on 12/02/2011

I have developed domestically and internationally patented technology to combat the issues surrounding the cellphone. Took me three years for everyone to finally catch up to the problem so I don't sound "bat excrement" when I talk about it, but we do have something for you, me and everyone else who wants to control when, where and by whom you wireless devices can be accessed.

Find us on facebook under "caged ideas LLC" for more informatio­­n.

[gamelan]

11:55 AM on 12/02/2011

I have frequent contact with companies that are in the data mining business. There are countless companies that track your movements across the web and sell this information to advertisers. They monitor your searches, site visits and social networking habits. They track your computer use and your smartphone use and the smartphone gives them your actual physical location as well. Tracking happens with cookies, "pixels," and also "flash cookies" (aka "LSOs" or "locally stored objects") which live in Adobe Flash and elsewhere and are not removed when you clean out your browser's cookies. In USA, you have to "opt out" of being cookied or block cookies. In Europe, a company can not cookie you unless you opt in (in most cases). Learn how to protect your privacy but know that even with the best protection, your web activities are not private.

[DushanRadovic]

09:43 AM on 12/02/2011

Stuart Smalley will make things right

[DushanRadovic]

09:43 AM on 12/02/2011

We're saved with Senator* Franken on the case

[AEX7]

09:49 AM on 12/02/2011

glad somebody got the ball rolling

[PhantomFinger]

09:35 AM on 12/02/2011

I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And dog gonnit people like me.

[nazztea]

09:54 AM on 12/02/2011

Isn't that Carrier IQ's excuse for what they're doing?

[HopperRox]

09:20 AM on 12/02/2011

Want to protect your privacy a little more? Internet explorer has "in private browsing", Firefox also has "private browsing" and Chrome has "Incognito mode". I do most of my browsing in these modes as your browser leaks less information and helps protect your privacy. Word to the wise.........Network Engineer, Canada

[HopperRox]

09:17 AM on 12/02/2011

I applaud Al Franken. I thought he was a great comedian, but it turns out he's a pretty darn good politician and seems to represent the voting masses. Go Al Franken!!!!!

[acarioti]

08:40 AM on 12/02/2011

Thanks Mr. Franken!

[myplenny]

10:40 PM on 12/05/2011

My electric meter reads our phones and PC and spys on us in house.