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The Flashlight App Threat

By Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Real Estate Agent WV0026375

October 28, 2014 02:02 PM

The Flashlight App Threat

500 million people are affected...not them, but their smart phones.

We all have probably installed the flashlight app for our smart phones. But, did you know that most of the apps are malware and are getting ALL your information.

Does your GPS and contact list automatically activates, do you know what apps your children are downloading..... You Need To Watch This Video if You Use a Smart Phone

www.youtube.com/embed/Q8xz8xKEFvU

Check out the SnoopWall Flashlight APPs Threat Assessment Report that provides a summarized Privacy and Risk Analysis of Top 10 Android Flashlight Apps by SnoopWall mobile security experts and the Privacy App scanner. (They tested and installed the Top 10 Android Flashlight Apps on various smart phones and tablets. Windows and Apple iOS flashlights behave in a similar fashion, however, more restricted in their spying capabilities due to the hardened OS features of Windows 8.1RT and Apple iOS 7 & 8.)

I have a Samsung Galaxy and have had many problems lately with my contact list activating and the phone turning off and on a lot. I've been wanting to get a new phone and yes, it will be an iPhone.

The flashlight app threat Perhaps we should just all go back to when we carried a regular flashlight!

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Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Lisa Von Domek - spreading the video is good but people will still download apps no matter what.

I am getting an iPhone next month Sharon Paxson

Thanks Roy Kelley for helping to spread the word.

Dagny Eason, the iPhone is the phone to have for sure.

Sharon Tara, I never used my flashlight app and will not install it on my new phone.

Oct 29, 2014 04:06 AM

Roy Kelley

Gaithersburg, MD

Robert Bob Gilbert

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties - Katy, TX

Your Katy TX ( West of Houston) Real Estate Expert

Rebecca, Thanks for the warning. my falshlight App did not work the last time I tried to use it. I need to check.

Oct 29, 2014 05:51 AM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP

DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX

Selling Homes Changing Lives

I did not know this Rebecca. Thanks for this very important information. This one should be featured. So many of us use the flashlight app.

Oct 29, 2014 06:05 AM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Ron Marshall

Marshall Enterprises - Saint Michael, MN

Birdhouse Builder Extraordinaire

Thankfully, Chief Cook has a flashlight app from the iPhone store. I hope she is safe. Thanks for the heads up!

Oct 29, 2014 06:11 AM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Rob Thomas

Prestige Homes of The Tri Cities, Inc. CALL....423-341-6954 - Bristol, TN

Bristol TN-VA & Tri Cities Agent, ABR, GRI, e-Pro

Rebecca ...Thanks for the info ...I have it and I guess we all need to be very careful!

Have a great night!

Oct 29, 2014 07:01 AM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Chris Ann Cleland

Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA

Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

It's ridiculous how many things on your phone take your info. Your camera program does too.

Oct 29, 2014 08:38 AM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert

Richmond, TX

Rebecca,

Thanks so much for the heads up I do not have the app on my phone but will not put it on and come back to read the article when I have a little more time!

Oct 29, 2014 08:47 AM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Robert (Bob) Gilbert - perhaps that is a good thing that it doesn't work...maybe!

Hopefully, eveyone reading this post will tell others, Patricia Feager, MBA, GRI, Cert Negotiations Expert, Military Relo Prof

Glad to help and hope Chief Cook is safe Ron Marshall

Yes, with all the cyber threats we definitely need to be careful Rob Thomas

Oct 29, 2014 10:47 AM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Chris Ann Cleland - yes but some of the flashlight apps are installing malicious trojans

Yolanda Cordova-Gilbert - you really need to watch the video.

Oct 29, 2014 10:54 AM

Debbie Laity

Cedaredge Land Company - Cedaredge, CO

Your Real Estate Resource for Delta County, CO

Ok, Rebecca...thanks and I will. There is so much to be careful of these day.

Oct 29, 2014 12:13 PM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Larry Johnston

Broker, Friends & Neighbors Real Estate and Elkhart County Subdivisions, LLC - Elkhart, IN

Broker,Friends & Neighbors Real Estate, Elkhart,IN

Hi Rebecca, Thanks for the warning. This is something we all should know about.

Oct 29, 2014 12:19 PM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Rebecca- and I am an apps hound! I do have an iPhone and use the flashlight app that's installed on it. And, yes, I too have heard that iPhone's more restrictive policy regarding apps helps to keep the malware and bugs at bay.

Oct 29, 2014 12:27 PM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Tammy Lankford,

Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA

Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

one more reason I'm glad I have an iPhone and it comes with a flashlight without the app. And I do some pretty good research before I download an app on my phone.

Oct 29, 2014 12:55 PM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

John McCormack, CRS

Albuquerque Homes Realty - Albuquerque, NM

Honesty, Integrity, Results, Experienced. HIRE Me!

I saw this on the news. I'm glad our iPhones came with built in flashlights. I guess we need to be more cautious before we download apps.

Oct 29, 2014 11:40 PM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Patricia Kennedy

RLAH@properties - Washington, DC

Home in the Capital

Rebecca, I'm so glad that I have an iPhone! When I use it, I don't feel all that old.

Oct 30, 2014 12:39 PM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Debbie Laity - true so much I would like to go back to the flip phones.

yes Larry Johnston help spread the word.

Kathy Streib - we have to worry about so much now it is our phones!!

Tammy Lankford - good for you, we should all do more research before downloading apps

Oct 30, 2014 01:40 PM

Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®

Lewisburg, WV

Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

John McCormack and Patricia Kennedy - I am getting an iPhone.

Oct 30, 2014 01:41 PM

Jerry Newman

Brown Realty, 210-789-4216, - San Antonio, TX

Texas REALTOR, San Antonio Military Relocation

Hi Rebecca. I never downloaded one on my new Samsung Note II, but I had them before. Very interesting topic, and we sure have to be aware of what those malware will do with our contacts information.

Oct 31, 2014 06:11 AM