Huh.. rumor of #jfrog using #databrokers to get more data on people trying out their service and making some aggressive style marketing movements. I didn't send them my number.. why and how are they texting me?

“When you ask an app “not to track” it tracks you anyway, and the data is sold” https://cybernews.com/privacy/aps-track-despite-asking-not-to-track/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CyberNewsLetter_210&source=newsletter&medium=email&campaign=CyberNewsLetter_210 #app #tracking #databrokers

People-search sites represent an immense privacy risk to the majority of Americans. EasyOptOuts is a low-cost online service which automates opt-out requests on your behalf.

https://www.privacyguides.org/articles/2025/02/03/easyoptouts-review/

While opting-out of data brokers can be a very manageable task when done manually, many people are still looking for an automated solution.

I think EasyOptOuts is that solution: It works exceptionally well for a fraction of the cost that Optery, Mozilla, or others would charge you. While it might not be perfect, reducing your data exposure by up to 90% for only $20 certainly makes opting-out of the remaining few data brokers a whole lot easier.

https://www.privacyguides.org/articles/2025/02/03/easyoptouts-review/

Some of the world’s most popular apps are likely being co-opted by rogue members of the advertising industry to harvest sensitive location data on a massive scale. The thousands of apps include everything from games like Candy Crush and dating apps like Tinder to pregnancy tracking and religious prayer apps across both Android and iOS. https://www.wired.com/story/gravy-location-data-app-leak-rtb/ #MobileApps #Privacy #databrokers #infosec

"Some of the world’s most popular apps are likely being co-opted by rogue members of the advertising industry to harvest sensitive location data on a massive scale, with that data ending up with a location data company whose subsidiary has previously sold global location data to US law enforcement.

The thousands of apps, included in hacked files from location data company Gravy Analytics, include everything from games like Candy Crush and dating apps like Tinder to pregnancy tracking and religious prayer apps across both Android and iOS. Because much of the collection is occurring through the advertising ecosystem—not code developed by the app creators themselves—this data collection is likely happening without users’ or even app developers’ knowledge.

“For the first time publicly, we seem to have proof that one of the largest data brokers selling to both commercial and government clients appears to be acquiring their data from the online advertising ‘bid stream,’” rather than code embedded into the apps themselves, Zach Edwards, senior threat analyst at cybersecurity firm Silent Push and who has followed the location data industry closely, tells 404 Media after reviewing some of the data."

https://www.wired.com/story/gravy-location-data-app-leak-rtb/

@zdl @evacide unless they put their money and ass on the line and don't commit to unsustainable #VC #MoneyBurningParty|s like @signalapp.

• Whereas with @monocles, the Users pay directly for said service instead with their #data!

Remember: Whoever pays for the show is the real #customer and in case of #NSAbook et.al. those are #Advertisers, #DataBrokers and #Governments!

In November 2024, a BreachForums user called "Nam3L3ss" dumped more than 100 databases on BreachForums. The databases were cleaned-up databases from the Clop MOVEit breach of 2023. He plans to leak even more databases in the coming weeks and months. Some will also be from MOVEit, but he claims there will be many others from other sources.

He is not selling the data. He is just giving it away.

Being a psychologist by background, I really wanted to understand what he has been doing and why. So we chatted. And chatted. And I've written some of it up in a multi-part interview format that begins here:

Conversation with a “Nam3L3ss” Watchdog: Preface
https://databreaches.net/2024/12/23/conversation-with-a-nam3l3ss-watchdog-preface/

To jump directly to specific parts:

Part 1, his background and motivation:
https://databreaches.net/2024/12/23/conversation-with-a-nam3l3ss-watchdog-part-1-background/

Part 2, his methods:
https://databreaches.net/2024/12/23/conversation-with-a-nam3l3ss-watchdog-part-2-methods/

Part 3 ethical concerns and his goals:
https://databreaches.net/2024/12/23/conversation-with-a-nam3l3ss-watchdog-part-3-ethics-and-goals/

#FTC bans #databrokers from selling Americans’ sensitive #location data
The FTC banned data brokers #Mobilewalla and #GravyAnalytics from harvesting and selling Americans' location tracking data linked to sensitive locations, like #churches, #healthcare facilities, #military installations, and #schools.

But otherwise...... track away.... argh
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ftc-bans-data-brokers-from-selling-americans-sensitive-location-data/