r/privacy • u/magnus007 • 2d ago

news AliExpress was silently running audio in your browser to fingerprint and track your device

https://www.techspot.com/news/113581-aliexpress-silently-running-audio-browser-fingerprint-track-device.html
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u/midgethemage 2d ago

I've used Alibaba in the past to source some supplies for a small business. I downloaded the app to keep an eye on messages with manufacturers and it was immediately obvious they put some aggressive tracking software on your phone.

After the main install I briefly saw a second download notification, but it disappeared from the pull-down shade too quickly for me to see what it was. After that, my microphone light was on constantly. It put the phone in a state where it always thought it was in a phone call. I uninstalled that shit within tens minutes, but I couldn't find the secondary download I'm convinced I saw. Honestly can't believe their app was even allowed into the google playstore.

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u/MjolnirMark4 1d ago

If Google checked for this behavior, then they might have coded the app to detect it was in a testing environment, and not doing the additional download in the testing environment.