Basically I’ve acquired a burner Android 8 phone and am running the target.com app which is the only way they let you get parking lot delivery at the store. I assume the Target app is spyware. I keep the phone powered off almost all the time which should limit the spying. The thing is, if I power up the phone and order something, then close the app, I still get an alert when the status of the order changes (e.g. it’s ready for pickup). So the app is still listening for network traffic from Target.
Can anyone explain what is happening in Android and whether there is a way to make an app really stop? Does the app stay in a running state even after I’ve closed the UI part of it? Is there somethng like an inetd in Android that listens for network alerts and re-launches the destination app? Are there Android app permissions associated with this, that I can revoke?
I don’t want to run this type of app on my main phone, but I had at first liked the idea of using a burner for such things. Now, though, I wonder if I need a separate burner for each suspicious app. Thanks.
Can’t you use the target website? There’s hermit for web apps which can sandox websites for you.
Using android 8 will mean you are using a vulnerable OS so stuff like this should be common. Newer android versions limit app activity and data collection.
You can use apps like Shizuku and AppOps to limit permissions and data, apps can gather on you.
The web site lets you order stuff for home delivery or for in-store pickup (you go into the store and wait a long time at the customer service desk). Gettnig stuff brought to the parking lot requires the app. It’s annoying and I don’t know why they do that. The app also needs network connectivity when you’re in the parking lot, to let them know which parking space you are in. I don’t have a working sim in the burner phone, so I bring another phone to use as a wifi hotspot, what fun.
Other stores do let you order on the web for parking lot pickup, and then call a phone number once you get there, so Target just insists on being special.
You can highlight via email to target. Or consider getting your order close to your home.
What do you mean by highlight via email? Target is reasonably close to here. There is not really anyplace closer for kitchen stuff etc. There are a few grocery stores that are closer and I do use those. Anyway this is getting way off topic. I mostly just wanted to know what was going on inside Android resulting in the app’s observed behaviour. My shopping practices are the best I can do given my requirements, as far as I can tell.
Highlight the fact that the website doesn’t work for ordering stuff to the parking lot. I was going to suggest social media but then I realized you wouldn’t be using one in the 1st place. Nevermind