Edward Snowden's new app turns your old Android device into a stealthy security monitor
If you happen to have an old Android device lying around and a reason to worry about people messing with your business, Edward Snowden has an app for that.
Haven is an open-source project that Snowden developed in conjunction with Freedom of the Press Foundation and Guardian Project. You can find directions and links for downloading and installing it on the latter organization's Github page.
This isn't your typical security app.
Haven doesn't lock down a single device or prevent tampering; instead, it repurposes an Android device -- an old, unused one, preferably -- and, using an assortment of built-in sensors, turns it into a multi-functional security gadget.
These sensors include your Android smartphone or tablet's accelerometer, camera, microphone, light sensor, and ability to detect when a power supply is plugged in or removed. The app monitors each one for measurable changes and records any activity in an event log.
That event log is then accessible through the Tor Onion Service, which allows users to communicate anonymously over computer networks. The app can also send out alert notifications via SMS or the secure messaging app, Signal.
Putting the app to work requires a little outside-the-box thinking. You can use it to, say, monitor a room for movement -- or even as a baby monitor. You can also leave it lying on top of something you want to keep secure, like a laptop. It won't keep intruders out or prevent tampering, but it will use the app-bearing device's various sensors to record what's happening.
Haven only works with Android devices for now. The project's website notes that iOS support is a hope for the future, but for now the best you can do is use your Apple device to receive alerts from the app.
Setting all of this up -- and even just understanding what sets software like Signal or Tor apart -- requires some amount of technical knowhow. The Github page linked above is a good starting point, but it might be worth spending some time poking around on Google before giving Haven a shot if any of this sounds foreign to you.
Topics Cybersecurity
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
