Which security features do you want to see in avast! Anti-Theft

[toshiro]

This is sort of an offshoot of this thread in the Mobile Security section.

Some of the features related to Anti-Theft from that thread include:

Backup: save personal data to cloud storage (perhaps even syncing...)

Maybe before sending an SMS to "wipe" data, there should be an option to backup it first?

We already have an SMS control to disable USB debugging, so maybe incorporating an automatic feature as proposed by Tech shouldn't be too hard:

Hello, I really want to see an automatic block for the adb/USB debugging access when the device is not unlocked.
Something coded as https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ramdroid.adbtoggle
It's a must have for security imho.

For anti-theft:

- An SMS command that uses the device's default TTS engine to speak text
- An SMS command to record audio
- An SMS command to capture a video/photo (of the front camera if possible)
- An SMS command to capture a screenshot
- An SMS command to disable/close an application running in the background (some battery saving apps force mobile data/wifi/GPS off when the phone is in "sleep" mode, and I'm not sure what happens when they force it off, and avast forces it on...). By disabling unnecessary background apps, the battery would last longer too.  Avast could check all the installed/running apps (like in the firewall) and upload the list to my.avast.com (excluding important system apps, perhaps).

As for taking photos with the front camera and privacy issues:

In another thread it was mentioned that the feature was already programmed but due to data protection concerns not implemented.
Clearly there is a lot of different levels of data protection on the globe and while in the US, Russia and China it doesn't exist at all it is a fundamental right in Europe and protected well.
However the Austrian data protection authority - as one of the "hardliners" - would not see any problem taking pictures of a potential thief. With some restrictions. The message window that the phone is stolen must be displayed once. If the thief deletes it or even removes it and only the rooted part is active that warning is not necessary anymore ofc. The reason is that you may not use the phone to spy on people on which phone you install the program or on persons that you give your phone, they must get a warning that the phone they have in hands is in "stolen mode".

I suppose implementing that is hard. Also Avast does not send data to the web platform when triggered via SMS. That would be required if you want also to have pictures of the thieves right after they stole it.

Cerberus doesn't care and as you can see on their forum people actually use Cerberus to spy on their kids a lot, which might be OK in a US, Russian or Chinese society, but not so welcome in Europe...

The implementation/installation of the feature is part of your proprietary right of the device you own and therefore absolutely legal in germany.
It's usage against a thief is legally justified by § 32 StGB. edit: - with no warning necessary!

[toshiro]

One more idea:

When the phone is in "stolen mode," and you call the phone from the number added under "Friends," there should be an automatic answer and the speakerphone turned on so it is loud and everyone can hear. The thief or whoever found the phone should not have the ability to end the call either. I don't know if this is even possible to implement.

[philavast]

 One "feature" I wd like to see in avast! Anti-Theft is .... a response to posts and feeback : http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=121585.0 !!

[toshiro]

An SMS command to set the brightness level (25%, 50%, 100%). Useful to set it to 25% if battery is low.

[pauldmps]

- An SMS command to capture a video/photo (of the front camera if possible)


As for taking photos with the front camera and privacy issues:

In another thread it was mentioned that the feature was already programmed but due to data protection concerns not implemented.
Clearly there is a lot of different levels of data protection on the globe and while in the US, Russia and China it doesn't exist at all it is a fundamental right in Europe and protected well.
However the Austrian data protection authority - as one of the "hardliners" - would not see any problem taking pictures of a potential thief. With some restrictions. The message window that the phone is stolen must be displayed once. If the thief deletes it or even removes it and only the rooted part is active that warning is not necessary anymore ofc. The reason is that you may not use the phone to spy on people on which phone you install the program or on persons that you give your phone, they must get a warning that the phone they have in hands is in "stolen mode".

I suppose implementing that is hard. Also Avast does not send data to the web platform when triggered via SMS. That would be required if you want also to have pictures of the thieves right after they stole it.

Cerberus doesn't care and as you can see on their forum people actually use Cerberus to spy on their kids a lot, which might be OK in a US, Russian or Chinese society, but not so welcome in Europe...

The implementation/installation of the feature is part of your proprietary right of the device you own and therefore absolutely legal in germany.
It's usage against a thief is legally justified by § 32 StGB. edit: - with no warning necessary!

Let's compare this feature with other competitors in the market:

1. Lookout : HAS THIS FEATURE
2. Cerberus : HAS THIS FEATURE
3. Android Lost: HAS THIS FEATURE
4. Prey: HAS THIS FEATURE
5. Comodo Anti Theft: HAS THIS FEATURE
6. Where's My Droid (pro): HAS THIS FEATURE

Avast : DOES NOT HAVE THIS IMPORTANT FEATURE FOR SOME CRAPPY PRIVACY ISSUES !!!!

[Buford T. Justice]

I would just be happy if AMS and AAT would work and be active on my Avast webpage whenever I lose my phone like i did yesterday.  I go to a computer, log into my Avast webpage and was told AAT was not installed.  An acquaintance found my phone and gave it back to me.  AAT was indeed installed and up-to-date.

[reinhardholzner]

thats really strange. can you tell me more about your system?

[pauldmps]

thats really strange. can you tell me more about your system?

Are you kidding me ? Multiple users are reporting the same issue in multiple threads. I lost my phone due to the same issue. Still nobody from your side accepts this issue ?

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=122875.0
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=118709.0
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=123774.0
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=123774.0

[reinhardholzner]

yes but if nobody helps finding the issue by describing about their system and working with us we'll not be able to fix it as we can not reproduce the issue inhouse.

[reinhardholzner]

ps: you also have to note that we have over 30 million users using anti-theft and only a very small number of our users (< 50 which is less than 1/1000) is experiencing this problem. so its really hard to find out the specific circumstances that lead to that problem on such a specific small number of devices.

[Buford T. Justice]

Those of us who have reported this issue are probably the only ones using this forum and have either recently lost our phones or checked both or phones and our My Avast accounts.  The two phones I reported in another thread have different versions of Android, are made by different manufacturers, and are used on different providers.  I installed COMODO Anti-Theft as a fail-safe:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.comodo.mobile.comodoantitheft

[reinhardholzner]

can you get me the device UIDs of the affected devices?
You find them by logging into your avast! Account, going to the device details screen and look at the link in your browser window:
https://my.avast.com/en-eu/#devices/view/--> HERE IS THE UID <--/info

thanks!

Those of us who have reported this issue are probably the only ones using this forum and have either recently lost our phones or checked both or phones and our My Avast accounts.  The two phones I reported in another thread have different versions of Android, are made by different manufacturers, and are used on different providers.  I installed COMODO Anti-Theft as a fail-safe:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.comodo.mobile.comodoantitheft

[Buford T. Justice]

can you get me the device UIDs of the affected devices?
You find them by logging into your avast! Account, going to the device details screen and look at the link in your browser window:
https://my.avast.com/en-eu/#devices/view/--> HERE IS THE UID <--/info

thanks!

PM sent.

[cookies0759]

Not sure if this is already a feature.  If the sim card is the known original sim card, optionally, can out-going calls be disabled on it, even if it is subsequently switched to another phone? (this stops a large bill being put on that account).  If the sim card has already been changed, one might want to keep calls enabled just so that sms's can be sent.  Alternatively enabling/disabling could be automatic as required.

Also on the subject of taking photos, there's not much difference between that and a shop owner having cctv, and photos might provide good evidence.  If the owner instructed the phone to take photos, wouldn't that be a decision of the owner, not Avast, and so Avast could disclaim any liability?  That's one for the lawyers!

[pauldmps]

yes but if nobody helps finding the issue by describing about their system and working with us we'll not be able to fix it as we can not reproduce the issue inhouse.

Sorry for being harsh but my phone was stolen & then when I try to track via web it shows "Not Installed". You can imagine the frustration. And most users aren't aware until their phone is lost & then they log in to the portal.