Android is easily one of the most used operating systems in the world, a big reason why more people are coming online in record numbers, in a country like ours, thanks to affordable Android phones and their truly transformative power.
However, a new research turns out, lakhs of Android phones may be highly insecure right now right from the moment they're shipped in boxes. Before it reaches consumers who buy them. Scary, right?
Reuters
The worrying Android news comes from security firm Kryptowire, which highlighted security holes that come preloaded into 10 Android devices primarily sold in the US, as per a Wired report.
According to the security report, the Android phone vulnerabilities can lead to anywhere from users being locked out of their device to someone secretly controlling their phone's microphone to record their conversations, and more.?
Kryptowire points the blame at Google's partners, Android manufacturers who tinker with Android's vanilla code to insert their own UI features on top, along with copy cat apps. Not only does this make releasing future Android security updates a nightmare, but it potentially bakes in a whole host of security vulnerabilities that puts the phone user at risk.
Reuters
One of the more serious security vulnerabilities highlighted by the security report claims?how an app doesn't even need to trick users into granting access to your text, call logs, microphone, and camera -- in Android devices that have their own manufacturer firmware. Apps would just silently take all the permissions they need, without informing the user,?thanks to the device's broken firmware.
The report spoke about the security vulnerabilities it uncovered in ASUS, LG, Essential and ZTE phones.