Patternz, a tool that monitors billions of smartphones around the world, was collecting data through in-app advertisements
For modern people, smartphones are essential for work and daily life, and by monitoring smartphones, you can learn more about the target. News site 404 Media recently reported the results of a new investigation into the spy tool `` Patternz, '' which claims to be monitoring billions of smartphones around the world. According to 404 Media, Patternz collects data through 'in-app advertising' that is used in hundreds of thousands of apps.
Inside a Global Phone Spy Tool Monitoring Billions
This time, 404 Media analyzed a mass surveillance tool for smartphones called 'Patternz'. In a video posted to YouTube in the past, Patternz CEO Raffi Tong said that Patternz collects data through 600,000 apps, including in-app advertising, and that smartphones are effectively It is explained that it will be a bracelet. The video was reportedly deleted after 404 Media contacted Patternz.
In the video, Patternz was promoted solely as a 'countermeasure against the new coronavirus infection,' but when I checked the marketing materials for Patternz (PDF file) published on the Internet, I found that 'it targets national security agencies.' It is stated that Patternz is useful for ``analyzing behavioral patterns of people.''
In the video, Tong also provides a demonstration of the information that can be tracked with Patternz. When Tong clicked on a particular profile, the next screen displayed the user's device and GPS location history. With Patternz, it is possible to check the user's location information up to an error of 1 meter.
In addition, Patternz allows you to check information such as ``the apps a user uses,'' ``a list of people nearby at home or work,'' ``hobbies and interests,'' as well as important events such as ``a specific person visiting a specific location.'' It is also possible to specify and set alerts.
Regarding the person shown in the demonstration, Mr. Tong claimed to be able to find information such as ``he frequently visits nearby hospitals,'' ``he is a flight attendant working for a Russian airline,'' and ``his hobbies are video and computer games.'' Did.
Patternz marketing materials state that Patternz analyzes over 90TB of data every day and has over 5 billion user identity profiles. 'Every device has a unique ID, and we can create a profile about it,' Tong said in his presentation.
Patternz uses a mechanism called
Real-time bidding involves sharing data with companies, such as your location and data about your device. Patternz uses an in-app advertising network and platform to monitor smartphones around the world.
The ad formats that Patternz analyzes are diverse, including banner ads, native ads, and video ads, and Tong claims that a total of 600,000 apps are connected to Patternz. The demo version of Patternz shown in the video analyzed by 404 Media claims to contain data from 177,431 Android apps and 61,894 iOS apps.
Among the 'apps used by Patternz' that Mr. Tong mentioned are the meme collection platform 9gag , the messenger app Kik , Truecaller , which notifies the caller's number, Sudoku and solitaire game apps, and many others. It seems that popular apps are included.
The important thing about monitoring using real-time bidding is that, unlike other methods of embedding monitoring code into apps, Patternz does not need to have any direct relationship with the app developer. Patternz claims to have a ``commercial and operational ad tech division that actually trades media'' and is actively participating in the online ecosystem.
The infographic below shows the 19 advertising companies that Patternz uses to collect data, and the centerpiece is an Israeli-based company called
404 Media contacted Tong about the investigation, but Tong did not respond to requests for comment. Nimrod Schwartz, Nuviad's president and chief business officer, said in an email to 404 Media that Patternz and Nuviad are separate companies, and although Tong is serving as Patternz's 'interim CEO,' It claimed that it did not share data.
Following the 404 Media investigation that began in December 2023, Google has decided to remove Nuviad from its list of 'authorized buyers' who are allowed to interact with its advertising networks. A Google spokesperson said: ``We take our responsibility to protect people's privacy seriously and have some of the toughest limits in the industry. 'We do not share this information with buyers, and our policy prohibits any attempt to identify or profile individuals based on sensitive data.'
In-app advertising platform PubMatic also reported to 404 Media that it had suspended its relationship with Nuviad, and Microsoft also added Nuviad to its blocklist on its advertising platform Xandr .
When 404 Media contacted Schwartz about the discontinuation of Google's relationship with Nuviad, Schwartz responded via email: 'Bravo! You killed the company. The consequences are simple... Nuviad is dead.' Apparently he sent it.
In addition, privacy experts have known about Patternz for a long time, and U.S. Democratic Party Senator Ron Wyden contacted Google about Patternz in June 2021. Since then, Mr. Wyden's office has frequently sent additional findings to Google, but so far no action has been taken. Regarding Google finally locking out Nuviad, Wyden commented to 404 Media, ``It took so long, but I'm glad that Google has cut off surveillance companies from access to user data.'' did.
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