IT abroad: Extra privacy mode software for Android customers around the corner

The North Carolina State University researchers have announced about the development of software designed to safeguard personal information from being swiped from Android smartphone users. The researchers hope to convince Google to work the technology into Android via an over-the-air-update in order to enable users to get the software via Android update.

The new privacy mode software called Tissa (Taming Information-Stealing Smartphone Applications), would give Android users more control over what information they divulge to makers of third-party apps, both at the time of downloading the app and while it's running.

Privacy mode would allow a user to give an application everything from full access to none at all, including somewhere in between that would give an app at least enough information to work with. Tissa is presently available for Android 2.3 Gingerbread users.