Retrieve Running app permission

Question

I am trying to integrate Flurry in my application. While installing, one of the permissions my app asks for is "Retrieve Running app permission". From what I understand, it is the permission to access other applications on the device. I have two questions regarding this:

1. My application is using location service of the device, is this permission required for that?

2. If not the first one then is there any chance that Flurry needs this permission?

Also is this permission looked at with concern and suspicion usually?

Answer 1

The permission you are referring to is android.permission.GET_TASKS and it doesn't let you "access" other applications but find out about them.

It will allow an application to find out what other applications are running on your phone. While not a danger in and of itself, it would be a useful tool for someone trying to steal your data. Typical legitimate applications that require this permission include: task killers and battery history widgets. Other than that however, most apps should not need this permission.

However, Flurry doesn't appear to require this permission, so I'm not sure why you have it in your app.

Flurry only requires:

• android.permission.INTERNET - Required to send analytics data back to the Flurry servers
• android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE - Required to determine the network state of the device

For location (optionally) it requires:

• android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION or
• android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION

http://support.flurry.com/index.php?title=Analytics/GettingStarted/Android http://support.flurry.com/index.php?title=Analytics/GettingStarted/TechnicalQuickStart/Android

Perhaps the Flurry SDK used to require it but it no longer does. Make sure you are using the latest version of the SDK and suggested integration code.