Android Security-Flaw Trifecta Threatens Smartphones, Tablets

[Guest]

Three unrelated flaws in Android could turn devices into spying devices, allow unfettered installation of malware.

Android Security-Flaw Trifecta Threatens Smartphones, Tablets : Read more

 

[ethanolson]

For some reason I gravitate towards the systems that are the most exploitable... maybe because they're also the most useful.

Windows on my Server, PC's and a 10" tablet. Android on my phone and a 7" tablet. Too bad I didn't have a choice recently and am rolling with a Windows phone. Now I'm all sorts of secure on my phone and it doesn't jive with me. Weird, eh?!

 

[house70]

Where is this stuff? I have multiple Android devices and have never seen one infected with anything; more than that, I have never witnessed any device infected, ever.
"Newer versions of Android, beginning with Android 3.2 Honeycomb, are not affected". That means that virtually all phones available in the civilized world are immune. I have not seen Gingerbread on any device in more than a year. Unless it's a no-name me-too obscure manufacturer that puts their own version of Android-based OS on some device for third-world markets, everyone else should be fine. Interesting that they discovered that flaw now, more than 2 years after Honeycomb was released for tablets. It's like claiming the discovery of a security flaw in Windows XP. Good timing, eh?

 

[Rhinofart]

That they know of. Most end users don't even know they are infected with a Zero day exploit, and the AV suites won't know about it right away either. Look how long Flame and Stuxnet were around before they were noticed.

 

[gm0n3y]

@triedandtrue,

While I also don't know anyone that has had a virus on android, to say that this is Apple propaganda (and paid at that) is a little absurd. Talk about paranoia. And this is coming from someone that doesn't own any Apple devices.

 

[daglesj]

The fact is all these Android security scares all boil down to the same thing. Don't run apps from places you don't know.

Essentially if you have unprotected sex with skanky prostitutes you might catch an STD.

 

[Grandmastersexsay]

Absurd app permissions are common. They are the bane of any knowledgeable android user. Besides serverly hampering the android experience, they create real security vulnerabilities. An extremely simple solution would be for Google to allow you to restrict permissions on an app by app basis and have global policies. Of course some of the worst app behavior comes from Google themselves. They're not going to move android in a direction that hampers data collection and spying.

Here's hoping that a real Linux distro like Ubuntu makes it into the mobile market. BTW, java still sucks.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

Even more seriously, HomeBase uses an unencrypted HTTP link to download updates,

IIRC Google pulls any apps that update outside of Play. Surely that would be a good excuse to remove this, regardless of anything else.