Android Pre-installed Applications Effects On User’s Privacy

Abstract

Vendors are allowed put any pre-installed applications on their devices that have open-source Android operating system. Even if these applications have risk on users’ privacy and security, number of studies that analyze them in that context inclusively is limited. In this study, a public data set of pre-installed applications to fulfill the gap in this field is introduced. Also, using these data set, effects of Tracking Software Development Kits that have been found in pre-installed application on user privacy are analyzed. Thus, exploration of pre-installed tracking ecosystem on systems is contributed, and relationship between these software and third parties is exposed. Moreover, with a user study, users’ knowledge and perceptions about pre-installed applications are measured and their awareness levels are revealed.