In series and movies Siehtman often how protagonists destroy ir SIM card if y do not want to be located about ir smartphone. In case of Android, however, this may not bring anything, such as EineUntersuchung of online magazine Quartzherausfand.

Since beginning of 2017, Android operating system developed by Google is intended to verschickthaben information about currently used mobile masts to Google. A spokesman for company has now confirmed this: "Since January of this year, Wirbegonnen have been using cell ID codes as furr information to improve diePerformance and speed of message delivery."

The on Android pre-installed background service Firebase CloudMessaging has thus assigned each cell a separate ID and this zurAnalyse sent to Google servers. The information, however, was used Tatsächlichnie to synchronise radio Networks, says company. Therefore, y were not saved eir. After an upcoming Android-update broaden transfer will still not take place.

Radio cells can betray locations

The connection to a single cell only indicates Dengroben location of a network participant. It is more accurate when ManVerbindungen merges with multiple radio cells and tracks connections over a longer period of time. These data actually only store dieMobilfunkanbieter, y can be requested by police a judge in context of a radio cell query. In Germany, should use is controversial.

Google could also use information to more closely track geographical Android users (with many users Ohnehinständig GPS enabled and Google not explicitly use data in DenPrivatsphären and activity settings prohibited). For third parties, however, it is more difficult to skim data. Since y are transmitted encrypted, attackers already have to undweiterleitet a malicious software into Smartphoneeinschleusen, which n selectively attacks cell-ID information.

No indication for users

The transmission of radio cell data is refore less dangerous alsärgerlich. Similar to Apple, which recently stood in DerKritik because DasWLAN is not disabled in iOS 11, when corresponding option is chosen in so-called control center, Google also refrained from informing SeineNutzer exactly what ir settings actually effect. The Data protection regulations state that GPS module is collected from sensors and mobile connections. However, Ischaracterised does not mention that this also happens when you dieWeitergabe in settings.

In addition, " Location services (which are mentioned in activity settings and that you can really put out – red.) are clearly different from DenMessagingdiensten", said a Google spokesman against Quartz. Therefore, re are also KeineMöglichkeit for users, data transfer in this case Zuwidersprechen.

In future Android will not send information anymore. Interesting is explanatory statement that can be read between lines: Google does not want to stop dieWeitergabe, because it may interfere in privacy DerNutzer. But because y were not used anyway.

Date Of Update: 23 November 2017, 12:03