[Q] Android background data - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello everyone !
I have a problem that may have been addressed many times before. I do apologize, but the search didn't bring me needed answers. I also apologize for any bad english.
Here is the deal :
I am concerned with the "background data" the android os transfers via my mobile internet.
I rooted the phone, cleared all the useless .apk's from /system/app folder (even removed google play and as much of google stuff as i could), installed DroidWall and set very strict firewall rules ...
And still when i open data usage in settings menu, i see "android os" transfered 6.6mb in past 20 days. WHAT is that stuff ?!
I only use internet for stock e-mail, naked browser, internet radio, and wolfram alpha. Only those 4 applications should ever use the internet. I wish that not a single byte of data is ever EVER transfered besides the needs of these 4 applications. I do not want "Android Os" or any other background process connecting to any server on the internet "behind my back".
I am not very experienced in android os. But if it is required, i will learn how to flash another rom, to cook rom, learn and do anything i can to take COMPLETE control of the bandwith, if it is possible. Is it ? If it is, the main question and the reason i posted this thread is : HOW ? Just please do not assure me that that data is nothing to worry about, or ask me why do i care. If you can say nothing about solution, you can not help me.
The device is 2011 Xperia Pro (mk16i) and android version is 4.0.4
Thanks in advance !

There are some data between your phone and google server. Recall some phones have feature to disable background data. Not sure whether your phone have it.
You could try some tool to monitor what application creates link.
themima said:
Hello everyone !
I have a problem that may have been addressed many times before. I do apologize, but the search didn't bring me needed answers. I also apologize for any bad english.
Here is the deal :
I am concerned with the "background data" the android os transfers via my mobile internet.
I rooted the phone, cleared all the useless .apk's from /system/app folder (even removed google play and as much of google stuff as i could), installed DroidWall and set very strict firewall rules ...
And still when i open data usage in settings menu, i see "android os" transfered 6.6mb in past 20 days. WHAT is that stuff ?!
I only use internet for stock e-mail, naked browser, internet radio, and wolfram alpha. Only those 4 applications should ever use the internet. I wish that not a single byte of data is ever EVER transfered besides the needs of these 4 applications. I do not want "Android Os" or any other background process connecting to any server on the internet "behind my back".
I am not very experienced in android os. But if it is required, i will learn how to flash another rom, to cook rom, learn and do anything i can to take COMPLETE control of the bandwith, if it is possible. Is it ? If it is, the main question and the reason i posted this thread is : HOW ? Just please do not assure me that that data is nothing to worry about, or ask me why do i care. If you can say nothing about solution, you can not help me.
The device is 2011 Xperia Pro (mk16i) and android version is 4.0.4
Thanks in advance !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Thank you for your reply !
There is a built in tool "Data Usage" in the settings. It shows the 4 applications that i use with internet + Direct Push that checks email from microsoft server + Android OS in the list as well. I guess all the stuff going on "behind my back" is packed into Android OS. What tool do you suggest ?
There is "restrict background data" option. But when i select it - i get the warning that some apps will not work unless connected to wifi. The last part of this warning indicates to me that Aroid Os will still send the data. But only when connected to wifi. And i dont want it ever to send any data. Why would any data be sent to google server ? I disabled all synchronisation with google ...

You could also use the tool network monitor https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jmm.networkmonitor which wrote by my friend. It could find which application using your network. And could display the peer address.
I think some google application such as gtalk service are connecting google server background. No choice.
themima said:
Thank you for your reply !
There is a built in tool "Data Usage" in the settings. It shows the 4 applications that i use with internet + Direct Push that checks email from microsoft server + Android OS in the list as well. I guess all the stuff going on "behind my back" is packed into Android OS. What tool do you suggest ?
There is "restrict background data" option. But when i select it - i get the warning that some apps will not work unless connected to wifi. The last part of this warning indicates to me that Aroid Os will still send the data. But only when connected to wifi. And i dont want it ever to send any data. Why would any data be sent to google server ? I disabled all synchronisation with google ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Related

[Q] can someone help me with making this app?

hi i subscribed to a site that gives premium access to many file hosting sites by setting up their dns and logging in their web page... this works flawlessly on the pc but on android well it consumes a little of ram to have many tabs open and you have to open it everytime you want to download something so the question is is there a way to make an app where you put your login data and the app automatically logs in the website everytime you connect to the internet? (wifi/3g)
if yes can someone help me making it or can someone (best option beacuse i don't know a single thing about programming ) make this app for me nad the rest of android users that would like this service on their phone? thanks in advice and sorry for my english

[Q] Is something like this possible? Android auto-wipe, selfdestruction or similiar?

(first off sorry for my bad grammar)
Please read the whole post before answering!!
Do to recent events, and after many hours of searching without any useful result, I decided to try making a simple app which instantly deletes/wipes all the data (without any prompt or warning) on your phone (e.g. if your phone gets stolen or you get mugged and you had much sensitive data on it.), formats everything or even messes up the whole device (so the thief can't use it anymore).
But my question is, is something like this even possible?
1. Is it possible to initiate formatiing/wiping with the Android SDK or something else?
2. Is it possible to make an app which can't simply be deleted or still remains after flashing the device?
3.Is it possible to remotely "push" the app on your phone and execute it? (I'm thinking about installing it via the Google Play website and setting the trigger (?) for starting the app on every possible event to instantly delete everything??
4. I guess this needs at least Superuser-rights..?
5. Maybe "we" could start with just automatic and instant ext.-SD card fortmatting?
Another idea is to have two apps:
one which is installed and allowed by the superuser-thingy to execute the wipe
and another one which you can remotely download or "push" via web and doesn't need Superuser-rights, whichs triggers the first app to start wiping so the thief can't deny the superuser promt..
I think this would really help and would've helped me a lot because there are only a few apps like this but afaik they all need a SMS to be triggered but what if the thief takes out/swaps the SIM card?
In my opinion android would seriously need an app like this.
If ur device mfg is samsung Plz read about samsungdive ...i can remote lock .remote wipe .remote location of ur device ...... Search in google or xda samsungdive.com
Check ur setting >location and security .. Hare u find remote control
Sent from my GT-S6102 using Tapatalk 2
yea I know samsungdive but as far as I know it doesn't remain after flashing and I think you can't install if you have a custom rom.
A answer to one of those questions would be really cool (secret bump)

How can I analyze mobile history data on my jelly bean phone

I have a Jelly Bean 4.1.2 based phone, specifically an LG Intuition VS-950, which I am using with the Page Plus standard plan. As the data rate of $0.10/mb on that plan is ridiculous I have it toggled off and use a Karma Go for mobile data access at a much better data rate. Unfortunately I recently encountered a case where an app or two ran through a lot of my prepaid data. I know one of the culprits and have removed it, but I would like to confirm I have the situation addressed and perhaps seek reimbursement.
If I go into Settings->Mobile Data I see the data usage history. I would like to be able to break this down a bit further, as I only use the Karma Go data part of the time. I would like to be able to isolate the data usage only to the Karma Go for the period of interest. Much of the time my phone is connected either to the office WiFi or a public hotspot, so only the usage while connected to the Karma Go is of interest to me. I have the MAC address of the Karma Go and the two SSIDs used with it, so as long as one of those is part of the data usage history I should be able to isolate it.
Is there an app out there that can do this for me? If not, can I use adb to pull the data of interest over to my laptop for further analysis?
Dave
No need for an app. In fact, the only way to edit and review your device history is through Google Settings. Open it and then select Personal Info & Privacy.
Any links tapped will take you to a browser. Sign in again if asked and edit from there. You can also instruct Google to stop or pause data collection across apps or just specific ones (like YouTube).
Sent from my m8 using Tapatalk
I attempted to follow your directions, but I can't say that I see a way to retrieve the usage data from 24 July to 4 August for further analysis from there. The data I am referring to is displayed graphically on the phone from its home screen when I hit Settings->Mobile Data and is titled "data usage cycle" at the top. In particular I need to isolate the portion of this underlying data that is associated with the MAC of my Karma Go WiFi mobile hot spot or one of its two SSIDs and the apps that were responsible for the usage. Ideally I would like to download this data to my laptop in a form that I could open as a spreadsheet for further analysis.
If this data is available online for download, as your post implies, I am afraid I would need more specific direction to be able to access it. Thanks in advance for any further clarification or information you can provide.
Dave
I did a little more searching and from what I can tell the data I am looking for is stored on my phone in /data/system/netstats/ and I downloaded the files in the directory to my laptop. The files are named dev.<startepoch>-<endepoch>, uid.<startepoch>-<endepoch>, uid_tag.<startepoch>-<endepoch> and xt.<startepoch>-<endepoch> respectively with the latest lacking the <endepoch> and are binary files of some sort. How can I work with these files to retrieve the data I am looking for.
Dave
I did yet a bit more searching and it appears that the data is in NetworkStatsCollection format. I found a link to the open source here:
https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/base/+/e098050/services/java/com/android/server/net/NetworkStatsCollection.java
How can I extract this data so that I can analyze it with other tools?
Dave
It appears that were the data I wanted logged since the last boot I could obtain it via:
adb shell dumpsys netstats detail
Unfortunately, the desired data is from a prior boot. Looking at /data/system/netstats/* shows the data is still present in an earlier file, so I would need to tell dumpsys what date range to extract. Unfortunately I don't have any documention on how to do so. Anyone know how to do so?
Dave

Ineducable noob seeks to irreversibly remove wifi/data access for cheapest smartphone

Hi,
Apologies if this is in the wrong thread category.
I'd like to permanently remove internet access from either a whole phone or from selected apps. This would create a dumbphone with a touchscreen. This is to tackle a net addiction, yet leave me with the capability of communicating with family via SMS. Existing dumbphones don't have touchscreens and often cause me excruciating pain to use, because of a condition I suffer from called fibromyalgia, which mimics the symptoms of RSI. Autocomplete on touchscreen phones reduces the number & intensity of finger-touches I need to make to type an SMS and are thus relatively freeing.
Would anyone know how this could be done, please? I rooted a phone once or twice but am not capable of following any instructions which require judgement. Please don't take more than a couple of minutes over this because there's a strong chance any advice will go over my head.
With thanks in advance for your thoughts
Jonathan
joanthan75 said:
Hi,
Apologies if this is in the wrong thread category.
I'd like to permanently remove internet access from either a whole phone or from selected apps. This would create a dumbphone with a touchscreen. This is to tackle a net addiction, yet leave me with the capability of communicating with family via SMS. Existing dumbphones don't have touchscreens and often cause me excruciating pain to use, because of a condition I suffer from called fibromyalgia, which mimics the symptoms of RSI. Autocomplete on touchscreen phones reduces the number & intensity of finger-touches I need to make to type an SMS and are thus relatively freeing.
Would anyone know how this could be done, please? I rooted a phone once or twice but am not capable of following any instructions which require judgement. Please don't take more than a couple of minutes over this because there's a strong chance any advice will go over my head.
With thanks in advance for your thoughts
Jonathan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Root your phone based on your past experience.
Install Xposed Installer app.
Install xposed framework by clicking install button in the app.
After a few minutes, your phone would ask for permission to reboot.
Reboot it.
It will take around 10 minutes or more to reboot.
Open the Xposed Installer app and click the menu icon on top left of the screen.
Select Downloads.
Search for XFirewall and install it.
Reboot.
Open XFirewall.
Select which apps you want to have net connectivity.
OR
You can try any other normal firewall app if you think it to be better than XFirewall
Augustoandro said:
Search for XFirewall and install it.
Reboot.
Open XFirewall.
Select which apps you want to have net connectivity.
OR
You can try any other normal firewall app if you think it to be better than XFirewall
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Augusto! Much appreciated.
Do you or does anyone on here please know of any firewall apps which allow the user to commit to a period (24 hours, a week, a year, permanently) without network access? Unfortunately without this kind of restriction I can't trust myself to stay off the web. Five minutes reading the news or Twitter always turns into five hours.
Thanks

Secure compromised device

Hi everyone! This is my first post, but I have used the search tool already without success. I am just a user, not developer and quite noob regarding mobiles and security.
Situation
1. I've got hacked, total control (photos, emails, camera, contacts, whatsapp, screen etc) of my unrooted android phone (xiaomi redmi note 7).
It was a targetted attack, no manual app installed, no unsafe 3rd party apps allowed. Attackers only had my gmail account (linked to android) and telephone number. I know them personally, and they leaked personal information to people at work (who enjoy it between them but won't help me at all).
No high consumption of battery/data. Just leeching information, launching some apps eventually, and few interactions with the screen minimizing etc.
2. I Installed antimalware (e.g malwarebytes), antivirus (avg, esset etc). No positive results. I also installed "Noroot firewall" to control programs accessing internet, nothing strange.
3. I've changed emails(new), SIM + Telephone. Got hacked again. I suspect my own wifi was compromised.
Additionally, added 2 step verification to emails, changed passwords, encrypted the device etc. I have found no IP from them in the emails log, nor alert from gmail. Only once a session from Linux device (not mine). I believe they have accessed through the device.
4. I want to restore the device somehow and avoid getting hacked again.
One of the problems I face is taht that now I'm not in the same circle of people from which I gathered most of the info on the leaked information, so I can't get to know if the actions I am taking got rid of the hack, besides some punctual actions they may do (launch app etc). So I have to act quite paranoid and do the most secure action.
Question
1. Any idea on how they managed to do that? how can I prevent it or prove it? a reset would get rid of any proof, but I kinda prefer it if it is once and for all.
2. A hard reset only formats one partition (user data), so if there is a trojan located in /system it would be pointless. With an unrooted device I can only get rid of /cache and /data.
Should I install another ROM?(my phone has always been unrooted) which one? (restoring the stack ROM would probably be pointless if the vulnerability is due to android...
3. Is there any other measure I could take?
I'd appreciate any help.
Thank you!

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