MyPhoneExplorer - Why no concerns?

[bcrier]

I posted this message on android Forums and figured I will ask you directly. From the reviews I know MyPhoneExplorer is a great app and I do not mean to undermine any of your sincere efforts to share this app with this. Thank you for that. But here is my concern:

>> From my Android Forum message <<

I am just curious as to why no one else seems to be concerned about the security privileges of MyPhoneExplorer? Maybe I don't have a lot of knowledge of how Android security works.

But as far as I can tell this application can take all your contacts, texts, notes, emails, music listening preferences and send it over the air to this unknown entity called, FJ software development.

Who is FJ software Development and why are they giving away this app for free? Is no one concerned that there could a bunch of xxx hackers, having unlimited access to your personal lives on the phone, so to speak.

These are real questions and I am curious. Please if I have missed something, let me know. I am definitely not an android expert.

Thank you,
Bobby

[taparoles]

Hello,

You could ask the same question for most free apps.

In the case of MPE, most complains are in fact related to his commercial partner, which is often flagged by security suites as "malware" (FJ claims it's a false positive).
There are several threads about it on this forum, here is the last one :
http://www.fjsoft.at/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16630

I found your message on the Android forums, some answers are interesting :
http://androidforums.com/android-applic ... cerns.html

[bcrier]

Thank you taparoles for your response. It is good to know that people are asking these questions, even though there are a few of us. Yes, most of the responses seemed to say that how do I know if MPE is really communicating back home. I don't, but that is not the point.

Anyway I commend FJ for sharing such useful software. But In my case, and maybe because I am overcautious, I am not willing to put any software on my phone which can communicate over the net without my explicit permission.

I am currently looking for software that will allow me to lock down my phone completely i.e. no communication over the wireless unless I have given it permission to do so.

Bcrier

[Henke]

Since you ar able to sync you phone wirelessly I guess those permissions are required. Your concern may be valid, but I thing you have to do tradeoffs in security to be able to use your phone in a practical way.

I have used MPE for five (or is it six) years now, and I am super satisfied with it.

[taparoles]

FJ also answered a few questions about firewalls indicating MyPhoneExplorer is trying to access the Internet.
He said MPE works through the same protocol than internet (TCP/IP) and cause of this you get the firewall alert :
http://www.fjsoft.at/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12152

[FJ]

@bcrier: I have answered already your thread in android forums. In fact i can promise that the data will be not transfered to any external server, the permissions are needed cause MyPhoneExplorer uses the same techniques as the internet - which does NOT mean it works through the internet. The client does communicate only in the local LAN. Anyway - its your decision if you want to use MyPhoneExplorer or another Software