I am aiming to find out different security concerns that can occur on Android devices .One of them is the Keyboard Interception
Following are my findings
a) If i am not using a third party IME (keyboard), i am sure that no application can intercept the keys that i have entered.
b)If i am using a third party IME app, this app can get whatever i have typed and may forward it to some other app/ upload it to the net etc.
Both above points are valid for a Non Rooted as well as a Rooted phone.
If i am using the standard keyboard (Android or that provided by firmware), it is impossible to intercept key events unless the firmware is modified
Links i refereed are One and Two
What will happen if i plug in an external keyboard like we do on a Galaxy tab 2. When we type using this keyboard on the EditText on Activity at top, is it guaranteed that no one else can intercept the key presses(Rooted/Non rooted phones and without Firmware change)? I hope that the IME security rules given in Android Documentation here under Security Section apply for external keyboards too.
I recently found the DoMobile ShareKeyboard app on Market, it enables input through Computer keyboard using Wifi/GPRS on an Android device. Here obviously user is using a 3rd party IME so its completely insecure in cases where security is a major concern.
Please correct me if i am wrong in the points i mentioned.
Yes, if the OS is the one handling the keyboard.