App Privacy and Controls
Research into privacy, security, and information controls of popular applications.
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Latest Research
The Predator in Your Pocket: A Multidisciplinary Assessment of the Stalkerware Application Industry
This report was collaboratively written by researchers from computer science, political science, criminology, law, and journalism studies. As befits their expertise, the report is divided into several parts, with each focusing on specific aspects of the consumer spyware ecosystem, which includes: technical elements associated stalkerware applications, stalkerware companies’ marketing activities and public policies, and these companies’ compliance with Canadian federal commercial privacy legislation.
Fit Leaking: Citizen Lab Research on Fitness Tracker Privacy
The post covers several categories of information that can be gleaned from examining Strava’s fitness tracker data, ranging from enabling the identification of secret military facilities in “dark areas” to specific identifiable behaviour patterns of at-risk individuals.
Still Safer Without: Another look at Korean Child Monitoring and Filtering Apps
South Korea requires minors to have content filtering apps installed on their phones. A security audit of two child monitoring apps published by major Korean telecoms —KT Olleh Kidsafe and Clean Mobile Plus—finds serious security and privacy issues that put children at risk.
Secure Your Chats: Why Encrypted Messaging Matters
End-to-end encrypted messaging is effective at protecting the content of your messages from being read as they travel across the Internet to your friends and family. This is why the Citizen Lab has released Secure Your Chats: a Net Alert resource that outlines how to safely use end-to-end encryption.
Serious Vulnerabilities Discovered in South Korean Parental Apps
As parents all over the world review back-to-school safety tips with their kids, researchers have revealed serious security vulnerabilities in South Korean children’s apps that may leave some parents asking: are our kids safer without them?