Data being stolen

[Redeemed]

Someone please help me. I'm tethering a Galaxy SII to an iPad 2 with WPA2 PSK security enabled. Bought a 500 MB (plus two 10 MB bundles) bundle at about midday today but now I'm left with only 143 MB! With my surfing habits this data lasts me a couple of weeks, all I'm doing is browsing forums and reading news sites, no audio and no video. Auto-sync and background data is off on the phone.

Curiously enough just before buying this bundle R24 of my airtime disappeared within 5 minutes of me loading new airtime! I called 111 and they told me I have a subscription to a SmartcalIT service called Chix, I was told that the service deducts my airtime every 15 minutes! I was told that I subscribed to the service in 2008. I have never subscribed to such a service, and if I had and it was taking my airtime so frequently why would I only notice today after all these years? Anyway the agent told me he's cancelling the service and than this would be effective in 72 hours.

I received an SMS confirming the cancellation. I don't believe I have had this service for four years but rather that it was activated very recently. Unless someone resurrected a service I had already cancelled a long time ago. I remember posting here about a WASP that was stealing my airtime. Anyway WASPS steal airtime not data.

So an hour ago I called Vodacom again, this time about the inexplicable disappearance of the data bundle, the Data call centre agent couldn't see what happened to the data and logged a call with the Advanced data department.

Something stinks a lot about this affair and I want to get to the bottom of it.

 

[SuperNev]

Curiously enough just before buying this bundle R24 of my airtime disappeared within 5 minutes of me loading new airtime! I called 111 and they told me I have a subscription to a SmartcalIT service called Chix, I was told that the service deducts my airtime every 15 minutes! I was told that I subscribed to the service in 2008. I have never subscribed to such a service, and if I had and it was taking my airtime so frequently why would I only notice today after all these years? Anyway the agent told me he's cancelling the service and than this would be effective in 72 hours.

Shucks, I better start checking my statements instead of leaving them unopened ...

Now for the data usage:
1. What version of Android is your Galaxy running? (asking to see if you have built-in data logger, like in ICS)

2. I am not familiar with iOS apps that much, but do you mind installing a data logger? (of course it won't help with what happened to the data, but it'll help with moving onwards)
Here is a suggestion: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/data-monitor/id495999810?mt=8 the ratings seem to be good, and it's free. It looks like it doesn't profile apps, but it'll help determine whether the data is being used by your iPad. (Or check if Onavo Count is available on the iPad)

3. Were you at home or in a public place when you had the data loss? You can see how many devices are connected to your phone at any given moment. History logs are beyond me.

4. Another valid one is this: have you updated your apps recently on your phone? There is an Exynos exploit which is on the loose, it's affecting Samsung devices, yours would be on the list. It has root capabilities, so I suggest you install Onavo Count on your droid just to make sure, and head off to XDA to get a patch.

You might sadly have to buy another bundle and try see if it gets depleted as quickly. If you go that route, change your PSK to something else before you do that.

Based on the above settings, I'd say that one of your devices is likely the culprit. If I took the trouble of cracking your PSK, I'd leave you for broke, not leave you with anything (Vodacom 3G is fast enough). So let's eliminate those two before looking at other possibilities.

 

[Redeemed]

Shucks, I better start checking my statements instead of leaving them unopened ...

You should, I'm appalled at the thought that I may have been unaware of this airtime parasite.

Now for the data usage:
1. What version of Android is your Galaxy running? (asking to see if you have built-in data logger, like in ICS)

Gingerbread XWKF3

2. I am not familiar with iOS apps that much, but do you mind installing a data logger? (of course it won't help with what happened to the data, but it'll help with moving onwards)
Here is a suggestion: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/data-monitor/id495999810?mt=8 the ratings seem to be good, and it's free. It looks like it doesn't profile apps, but it'll help determine whether the data is being used by your iPad. (Or check if Onavo Count is available on the iPad)

I will look at that IOS App, thanks. On my phone I have the "My Data Manager" app, all its shows me is that 417 MB was consumed by Wi-Fi Tethering today. It doesn't offer any extra info. I heard Onavo for Android is good but unfortunately I'm not rooted. For IOS it seems to be available for iPhone only.

3. Were you at home or in a public place when you had the data loss? You can see how many devices are connected to your phone at any given moment. History logs are beyond me.

I was at home.

4. Another valid one is this: have you updated your apps recently on your phone? There is an Exynos exploit which is on the loose, it's affecting Samsung devices, yours would be on the list. It has root capabilities, so I suggest you install Onavo Count on your droid just to make sure, and head off to XDA to get a patch.

I updated last week using the work Wi-Fi, i have just checked now and there are several new updates pending. Is the a particular app that is targeted by the exploit?

You might sadly have to buy another bundle and try see if it gets depleted as quickly. If you go that route, change your PSK to something else before you do that.

Based on the above settings, I'd say that one of your devices is likely the culprit. If I took the trouble of cracking your PSK, I'd leave you for broke, not leave you with anything (Vodacom 3G is fast enough). So let's eliminate those two before looking at other possibilities.

What's a PSK?

 

[SuperNev]

Gingerbread XWKF3

Okay, don't think you have built-in data manager (you said you do, ignore this bit)

I will look at that IOS App, thanks. On my phone I have the "My Data Manager" app, all its shows me is that 417 MB was consumed by Wi-Fi Tethering today. It doesn't offer any extra info. I heard Onavo for Android is good but unfortunately I'm not rooted. For IOS it seems to be available for iPhone only.

Onavo doesn't require root. That sucks, try find one for iPad. It's probably the only way of figuring out what's wrong, as we've ruled out Android.

I was at home.

Increases the odds that an app on your tablet is up to no good. It could be anything, perhaps a recent app that was updated (e.g. Facebook now apparently stores your images in 'the cloud').

I updated last week using the work Wi-Fi, i have just checked now and there several are new updates pending. Is the a particular app that is targeted by the exploit?

I can rule out the exploit cos then your Data Manager app points to Wifi. There is a bug with Samsung processors, which allows an app to root your phone without notifying you, and then with that access it can pretty much do anything. I was hoping MyBB would have covered it, but I'll check.

Best thing you can do for now is refrain from updating any apps, especially the random ones. Random meaning something not from a trusted developer (eg Google). I'm not sure if the bug affects users in South Africa, but it might be global for the Galaxy S2. Here's a link on it.
So wait for Samsung to comment on the issue. I'll come back to this post and add comments when Samsung responds.

Don't worry, seems the exploit affects the camera, but I'm not very sure.

What's a PSK?

You said your wifi is set under WPA2 PSK. The PSK stands for the pre-shared key. It would be a hex number (0-9,a-f). So I meant change your wifi password to something else

We have to rule out the iPad then somehow. Dunno if Vodacom will respond with anything useful. If they do I'd be worried about antitrust issues (like they're tracking what we do with our devices )

 

[Redeemed]

Thanks for your Engagement SuperNev. Just after checking the availability of updates on the Play store I went to check data usage on the My Data Manager app and it shows that I used 2 MB on the store BUT it also showed a 13 MB usage credited to "Downloads". I don't known what the hell it downloaded but I caught a glimpse of my AVG antivirus scanning something at the top of the screen. I went to the downloads folder and didn't find anything. Maybe it's an app that auto-syncs as I turned that on in order to enter the Play store.

I now have to figure out if there's an app on the iPad using data behind my back. Is there a way of switching off background data in the iPad like you get with android phones?

Didn't think someone might be breaching my Wi-Fi password, will change it.

With regards to Onavo for Android I think I'm confusing it with another app that apparently drastically compresses data and therefore reducing usage, that one requires a root.

 

[SuperNev]

Onavo has two apps. One is Onavo Count (a data meter), the other's name I forgot. That's the one that sets a VPN on your phone, and tunnels data through there to compress it and save bandwidth (basically what Opera has been doing for years, but with the whole phone). I tried using the latter a few months back, but it always failed to connect, so I deleted it.

I'm not yet clued up on some of the technicalities of iOS devices, haven't played enough with them (I only update my knowledge on what each device can and can't do, so when I'm engaged in the fanboi wars I have dirty stuff to throw around without being clueless lol).
So I'm afraid I can't help there. Google might rescue you, though trolling the App Store looking for an app that profiles data at an app level might be best. I have iTunes on my PC, I could help you search, but I'll entrust you with the task as you'd be more familiar with finding apps there

It could be that, mess around with the security settings of your wifi. Also, change the name of the network (doesn't help much though). I generally change my device passwords every month at least.

Downloads means almost anything that came through the browser, so it's weird that there's nothing on your downloads folder. Some non-Play Store apps have the ability to auto-update (call home to server and download APK), but that is frowned upon. I've only seen one in my days, and that was preinstalled on a custom ROM. So as summary, it was probably something(s) that you downloaded a while back and moved/deleted after using.

Glad I could help, though we haven't found out the exact cause I'm planning on starting an Android 'awareness' website for peeps in SA (androidessence.com), where I'll try help people out with things like these. Hopefully I get some time and complete developing it so I can do something useful with my life

 

[Redeemed]

I trawled through my settings on the Ipad and can't find an indication of any app using data behind my back, I will look for a more app specific data usage monitoring app as you suggest. Data Monitor is just showing the usage without specifying what's using it. Have changed the wifi network name and password.

I think the website initiative can be very useful. Good luck with that and thanks for all the advice.

 

[VodacomData]

Someone please help me. I'm tethering a Galaxy SII to an iPad 2 with WPA2 PSK security enabled. Bought a 500 MB (plus two 10 MB bundles) bundle at about midday today but now I'm left with only 143 MB! With my surfing habits this data lasts me a couple of weeks, all I'm doing is browsing forums and reading news sites, no audio and no video. Auto-sync and background data is off on the phone.

Curiously enough just before buying this bundle R24 of my airtime disappeared within 5 minutes of me loading new airtime! I called 111 and they told me I have a subscription to a SmartcalIT service called Chix, I was told that the service deducts my airtime every 15 minutes! I was told that I subscribed to the service in 2008. I have never subscribed to such a service, and if I had and it was taking my airtime so frequently why would I only notice today after all these years? Anyway the agent told me he's cancelling the service and than this would be effective in 72 hours.

I received an SMS confirming the cancellation. I don't believe I have had this service for four years but rather that it was activated very recently. Unless someone resurrected a service I had already cancelled a long time ago. I remember posting here about a WASP that was stealing my airtime. Anyway WASPS steal airtime not data.

So an hour ago I called Vodacom again, this time about the inexplicable disappearance of the data bundle, the Data call centre agent couldn't see what happened to the data and logged a call with the Advanced data department.

Something stinks a lot about this affair and I want to get to the bottom of it.

Hi , can you please pm me your number , would like to follow up on the data usage issue.

 

[MayaTheBee]

1. Don't waste your time with the Vodacom Representatives - they either are VERY selective in which queries they try and help with or they just cannot help you (JannieVZyl and VodacomData - I'm talking about you)

2. Upgrade your firmware - earlier firmware versions seem to be incompatible with Vodacom, as they will charge you for data usage irrespective of whether it is via wifi or not - seems that as long as their sim is connected, they will charge you. (Ice-Cream Sandwich stopped their pilfering of my data!)

 

[jannievanzyl]

If I understand correctly you are tethering your iPad to your phone over WiFi?

If so, the iPad will typically start doing a lot of stuff automatically it would not do over 3G.

So, I suspect, your iPad is catching up on a lot of queued data activities.

 

[MickeyD]

1. Don't waste your time with the Vodacom Representatives - they either are VERY selective in which queries they try and help with or they just cannot help you (JannieVZyl and VodacomData - I'm talking about you)

2. Upgrade your firmware - earlier firmware versions seem to be incompatible with Vodacom, as they will charge you for data usage irrespective of whether it is via wifi or not - seems that as long as their sim is connected, they will charge you. (Ice-Cream Sandwich stopped their pilfering of my data!)

What is your real nick, as I suspect that this is a clone account?

 

[jannievanzyl]

1. Don't waste your time with the Vodacom Representatives - they either are VERY selective in which queries they try and help with or they just cannot help you (JannieVZyl and VodacomData - I'm talking about you)

2. Upgrade your firmware - earlier firmware versions seem to be incompatible with Vodacom, as they will charge you for data usage irrespective of whether it is via wifi or not - seems that as long as their sim is connected, they will charge you. (Ice-Cream Sandwich stopped their pilfering of my data!)

Only issue I can find in your 4 posts is that you had an issue (OS problem) that caused data issues that you somehow now are holding Vodacom responsible for not telling you?

So I'm not sure what other Vodacom-related problem you were not helped with on this forum?

 

[BeVonk!]

Dropbox and similar cloud storage apps can be responsible, especially if Dropbox is set to automatically load photos taken on your devices to the cloud. That kills your data quick-quick.