Privacy Policy for HomeIoT Guardian
HomeIoT Guardian ("the app") is a local-first smart-home security companion. This policy explains what the app does with information and what it doesn't.
1. We collect nothing
The developer does not collect, receive, store, sell or share any information about you or your devices.
- There are no accounts, servers or remote databases.
- The app contains no advertising, analytics, crash-reporting or tracking software, and no third-party SDKs that send data anywhere.
2. What stays on your phone
Everything you enter or the app records is stored only in a private database on your phone. That includes device names, rooms, brands, models, notes, check results, review dates, history and network scan results. Android cloud backup and device-to-device transfer are turned off for this data.
- Delete: Settings & Privacy → Delete All Household Data erases it immediately. Uninstalling the app also removes it.
- Export: PDF reports and JSON backups are created only when you ask, and saved to a location you choose with Android's file picker. These files are under your control. JSON backups are not encrypted and contain your notes and results, so store them somewhere private. Deleting household data in the app does not delete files you exported earlier.
3. Local network scanning
When you start a scan, the app looks for devices on the Wi-Fi network your phone is connected to, for up to 8 seconds:
- It listens for devices that announce themselves using mDNS (Bonjour, through Android's Network Service Discovery) and SSDP (UPnP, multicast address 239.255.255.250).
- It reads the description files those devices publish, but only from private or link-local addresses (10.x, 172.16–31.x, 192.168.x and 169.254.x), never from internet addresses.
- It checks whether your router's admin page answers on the local network, and reads the gateway, DNS and Private DNS settings Android already knows about.
Scan traffic stays on your local network. Nothing found is sent anywhere.
When creating a PDF report or JSON backup you can choose to redact local (private) IP addresses. Public addresses, such as an internet DNS provider you use, are kept because they are not specific to your home network.
4. Permissions
| Permission | Why |
|---|---|
INTERNET | Required by Android to open network sockets. Used only for local-network scanning and local router checks. |
ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE, ACCESS_WIFI_STATE | To confirm you are on Wi-Fi and read the gateway, DNS and Private DNS settings. |
CHANGE_WIFI_MULTICAST_STATE | To receive device announcements during a scan. Held for at most 8 seconds. |
POST_NOTIFICATIONS | Requested only if you turn on review reminders (Android 13 and later). Everything else works if you decline. |
WAKE_LOCK, RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED | Added by Android's WorkManager library so optional reminders run on schedule and survive a restart. |
The app does not request location, nearby-devices, contacts, camera, microphone or storage permissions.
5. Links to websites
Vendor support pages, end-of-life policies and your router's admin page open in your browser (through Chrome Custom Tabs where available). Those sites have their own privacy policies; the app does not see what you do there.
6. Children
The app is not directed to children under 13 and collects no information from anyone.
7. Changes
If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted at this address with a new effective date.
8. Contact
Questions about this policy: robert@shipitworks.com