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RE: New Set of Android Vulnerabilities puts 900M Devices at Risk

in #security8 years ago

Thanks for the heads up and warning. Is it true that android are more prone to viruses since it is open source?

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No. It's not because it's open source. it's because it's open, i.e. you can install any app you want, from any source. You don't need to download your apps from the Google Play Store. Unlike Apple, where the only source is the iTunes App Store, and you don't get any choice whatsoever.

One of the biggest problems in Android is the amount of third party attacks, for example Samsung's Knox, designed to IMPROVE security, has a very major flaw which actually makes their phones highly vulnerable. (which was actually used in the TV Show Mr Robot to hack the FBI) - thus having a non-samsung phone actually improves your security simply because of that attack.

It's thanks to companies like HTC, Samsung, and Sony filling up their android phones will all their vendor crapware that opens up whole new vectors of attacks. Every now and then we do get attacks that directly damage android itself, such as this, which is somewhat Qualcomm's fault, not even Android's fault in it's own.

A good idea might be preferring Smartphone companies which don't fill up your phone with vendor crapware. At least they should allow deleting those apps without having to root your phone.

My old Samsung came with lots of proprietary Samsung bloatware apps which could not be deleted without rooting. After switching to LG (G4) things are much better. Much less bloatware and you can delete those apps.

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