First dynamic Android firewall is available free

HIGH PROFILE HACKER and insecurity researcher Moxie Marlinspike has made an advanced software firewall for the Android operating system available as a free download.

Marlinspike, which is not his real name, is well known for his work on the weaknesses in SSL encryption. His firewall software for Android is called Whisper Monitor and is a response to the fears that have developed this year over what information apps are revealing.

Google, along with Microsoft and Apple, was questioned last month by US lawmakers concerning the use of tracking technology in mobile phones. Also, downloaded apps can hoover up information you don't want them to, which can be of particular concern if the app creator has malicious intentions.

The Whisper Monitor firewall should allow you to monitor all the outbound traffic from your Android device and allow you to prevent location tracking if you wish. It can also control and set rules for each of the applications that you use and record the connection history of each app, allowing you to see where it is connecting to and how often.

Marlinspike said that there are a couple of static firewall apps available for rooted Android phones, but nothing dynamic or with this kind of connection monitoring.

Whisper Monitor is available as a free download of Whispercore, which is a free encryption tool. At the moment, Whispercore is available only for the Nexus S and Nexus One smartphones, but Marlinspike said he is currently working to make it available on other devices. µ