Comment by raxxorraxor
3 months ago
Some apps would use this for loopback addresses, which as far as I know will then need network permission. The problem here is the permission system itself because ironically Google Play is full of malicious software.
And neither Android nor iOS a safer than modern Desktop systems. On the contrary because leaking data is its own security issue.
Wasn't the loopback address recently used maliciously?
Yes. Facebook/Meta was using a locally hosted proxy to get info smuggled back without using routes that are increasingly obstructed by things like ad blockers if I recall correctly.
https://securityonline.info/androids-secret-tracking-meta-ya...
Search string for DDG: Meta proxy localhost data exfiltration