at any point in time, user and only
the user has access to their notes
I don't think that is true.
When I use your app, you can do anything you want to my data. You might promise me that the Javascript you delivered to my browser is treating my data in a certain way. Storing it in encrypted form or whatnot. But that is just a promise. Reality is: you can ship me code that does whatever you like.
This seems concerning: "The Service should not be used to store sensitive information such as bank account numbers, credit card information, or passwords."
Why would a notes app dictate what content can be stored in it?
Its.. a.. note taking app? Im not trying to convince you to use it, especially if security of your notes is a concern, but the data being asked of you is pretty much the bare minimum required to provide the described service. Its just weird to take exception to the rare service that authentically obeys a least access model
> All data resides solely on your mobile device unless you need to send it to authorities.
Network chatter can be viewed without source code access. If what they’re saying is true, this app should not make network requests unless initiated by the user.
app: not yours (BUT: communication between author and app is impossible if you want it to be)
data: yours (meaning you can delete it)
remotely installed non-free app
app: not yours, and you can't prevent the author from updating their app under your feet. And the author can do nearly anything, meaning any encryption on your data is useless.
data: not yours (meaning the author can read, change, delete, and you CANNOT unless the author, and anyone with a global root certificate (like Saudi Arabia, dozens of companies that have committed breaches of trust, ...) can mitm you, and gain the author's access to your data)
Out of principle, an app must not collect what it doesn't need. If the programmer thinks nothing sensitive should be in there, it's still not ok. Unrelated example because you mention the contact list - people who put passwords in there as phone numbers.
What really got to me though are notes. Notes! Of course no user should write "make that fat ass invest in us" in their appointment notes, but that is not how privacy works.
This is a very shallow (and questionable) intro to a paper about apps using things like string obfuscation to hide API keys and similar “secret” app data.
I’m not sure how we get from that to “threatening your privacy”. Unless you have personal data on the app’s server, and that data is unprotected by any access controls.
I think the point of the PandoDaily post was that you're already trusting apps with access to your data. You've granted permission for the app to access it any time. When I grant permissions for an app to access by data, this doesn't mean I am allowing my data to be published for the world to see. That's what privacy policies are for.
And only their data in the app in question or any data that the user allowed the app to have would be vulnerable. If not, that’s an issue with the sandbox on the mobile OS.
When I use your app, you can do anything you want to my data. You might promise me that the Javascript you delivered to my browser is treating my data in a certain way. Storing it in encrypted form or whatnot. But that is just a promise. Reality is: you can ship me code that does whatever you like.
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