20
votes
When selling your phone, what steps should be taken to make sure that all personal data has been removed?
Remove the SD Card and SIM Card, and then do a Factory Reset.
If your device doesn't use full disk encryption, and you are worried about someone using advanced forensic tools to recover your data, ...
- 19k
19
votes
Accepted
How does an app reads an OTP SMS without SMS permission?
Verification by OTP uses a different API which doesn't need read SMS permission. You can read more here Perform SMS Verification on a Server
Hence, the app isn't reading your SMS but using a separate ...
- 37.9k
18
votes
How can I make an Android app "forget" that it installed on my phone before?
tl:dr; addressing OP's question - sorry, no way AFAIK. From Android 10 onwards normal apps can't access IMEI number.
Revised answer with additional inputs from Izzy (thanks)
How do apps (Google or ...
- 37.9k
14
votes
Accepted
Are there any tools to sandbox a malware application even more than the granted permissions on Android?
XPrivacyLua is a module for Xposed framework which does exactly what you need. It is free and open source. Works on rooted devices. It's the successor of XPrivacy.
Install Xposed from here:
https://...
- 281
13
votes
Accepted
Can the RECEIVE_SMS permission be used to intercept SMS messages?
Yes, it can, but only on Android 4.3 and lower. This is used for example in Whatsapp. When you activate the app, Whatsapp sends an SMS to the number you reported, and the app intercepts it quietly and ...
- 16.1k
12
votes
Accepted
How to retrieve saved password in Google Chrome for Android?
In Windows, if you open Manage password in Chrome, then it asks for a master password (i.e. Windows Admin password) to view and manage your passwords. But that's not the case in Android. So for ...
- 3,235
12
votes
Accepted
Captive Portal parameters
Configuring captive portal behaviour
captive_portal_detection_enabled (<= Android 7.1.1)
works as described in question body
captive_portal_mode (>= Android 7.1.2)
works as described in ...
- 9,370
11
votes
How to use GPS without using Google Location Services
Not exactly matching your description (using the "last known" position if not GPS available), but still a good alternative:
On two of my devices, I completely got rid of all proprietary Google ...
Izzy♦
- 89.1k
10
votes
Can the RECEIVE_SMS permission be used to intercept SMS messages?
As things stand
Android 4.3 and below without Hangouts app : Any app with
SMS_RECEIVE permission can read/abort an incoming SMS (ala Whatsapp)
Android 4.3 and below with Hangouts (SMS mode turned on)...
- 101
10
votes
Accepted
What really happens during a factory reset? Does it securely erase all data?
A factory reset reformats the phone's user-data partition, but it's not a "secure" wipe; it doesn't overwrite everything with zeroes. If you want to be sure everything is erased, you can encrypt the ...
- 1,412
10
votes
Accepted
How to use GPS without using Google Location Services
You could try this app: GPS Aids.
It tries to provide a quicker and more stable fix by providing a couple of GPS aids (GPS Aiding Data like LTO Long Term Orbits, gpsOneXTRA and AGPS), and it caches ...
- 276
8
votes
Accepted
How to make a complete factory reset, without anyone being able to retrieve my data?
HOW DELETED DATA IS RECOVERED?
Data (un)deletion strongly depends on how a storage media (HDD, SSD, eMMC etc.), filesystem (NTFS, FAT32, ext4 etc.) and OS save and delete files.
File carving / ...
- 17.6k
7
votes
How to retrieve saved password in Google Chrome for Android?
Note: This method requires root access.
The credentials of the websites that you allowed Chrome to save are stored in the file Login data which is located inside the data directory of Chrome i.e. /...
- 23.5k
7
votes
Accepted
What permissions are granted to an app with device administration privileges?
Yes, a device administrator only has permissions to do what it says.
If you change the permissions of the app that the administrator is associated with, the administrators permissions will not change
...
- 338
7
votes
Accepted
Does TrueCalller App leak your phonebook?
Yes! it does, when using Truecaller application or services you have already accepted their :
Truecaller - Privacy Policy
So, in this case you agree that :
Truecaller may use your personal ...
- 735
6
votes
Is there a contact book that allows partial access for apps?
In contrast to the comment from Zlatty, I was very pleased to learn that the pro version of xprivacy can do just that. I use it to allow whatsapp selective access to contact book entries only if I ...
- 161
6
votes
How do you encrypt your device running CyanogenMod 12.1?
There are low(er)-level commands that can be used in a shell to encrypt your user data partition. Disclaimer/Warning: the following instructions will wipe your data, ensure that you make a backup if ...
- 1,552
6
votes
How can I automatically clear my browsing data when I exit Chrome?
I would use firefox. It has an option to clear on exit. You do have to go to the menu (which you can access by tapping the menu icon) and hit quit every time, but seeming as there is no way I know of ...
- 73
6
votes
Accepted
What is Google Partner Setup?
Google Partner Setup is an app that helps you run applications in conjunction with Google products. For example, with this application's help, you can use the calendar from your device with a ToDo app ...
- 429
6
votes
Accepted
Can an app update from Play Store reinstate its permissions I've disabled earlier?
Cases that doesn't affect your current permissions:
Updating app from play store.(also maybe the same for apk install too)
When you disable/enable any app.
When you clear only app cache.
When you ...
- 2,167
6
votes
Accepted
WhatsApp: How to isolate contacts and photos - Privacy concerns
Requisites
Download Shelter - an open source app from F-droid or GitHub. Quoting the developer, use cases
Run “Big Brother” apps inside the isolated profile so they cannot access your data ...
- 37.9k
5
votes
What lurks behind these Gmail/GTalk permissions?
More than one year later, and no answer here. I've done some research myself – and though there was not much found, I'll share what I've got so far:
com.google.android.gm.permission.READ_GMAIL: A ...
Izzy♦
- 89.1k
5
votes
Accepted
Google play store does not show all persmissions at app install
Yes, you are justified and they are being sneaky. Once a set of permissions is allowed, it can install new permission into that same set without getting approved on update. But you can retake control.
...
- 2,440
5
votes
Accepted
K-9 Mail not working with Openkeychain
Apparently on the "Accounts" screen, one has to long press the account. Menu will pop up. Click on "Account settings". Another menu will pop up. Click on the "Cryptography" item at the bottom. ...
- 66
5
votes
How do you encrypt your device running CyanogenMod 12.1?
For me, the original answer did not work as expected. It looked like it encrypted successfully, but the UI came back very quickly and the "Encryption" setting did not show that the devices was ...
- 233
5
votes
How can I automatically clear my browsing data when I exit Chrome?
It's not possible with Chrome on a non-rooted device unless an app has access to Chrome's data directory, which could be the case if that app is owned by Google, or it's a Chrome plugin. Both type of ...
- 23.5k
5
votes
Accepted
How to be sure that you are not tracked with anti-theft software or similar when using tab previously owned by someone?
I understand that a factory reset is not enough in most cases.
A factory reset is usually enough if performed through Settings, which removes Factory Reset Protection from the device (a reset from ...
- 50.2k
5
votes
How can I use the name "A Google user" in my reviews at Google Play Store?
Edit: As of August 2016, it is no longer required to have a Google Plus Profile to leave a comment in Google Play Store.
However, it would still require great sacrifices to comment anonymously in ...
- 7,324
5
votes
How to prevent an app from sharing its data with Google?
See Data backup overview. Since changelog is talking of Android 6 compatibility, it is referring to Android auto backup (see table).
Enabled by default. Apps can opt out by disabling backups.
...
- 37.9k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible