As we have mentioned on other occasions, being the most used operating system in the world also has its disadvantages. In the case of Android, we find the coexistence between this operating system, and more than two million threats directed against it that, despite being harmless and having no major repercussions in almost all cases, can sometimes wreak havoc on millions users if the software developers do not know how to detect or eliminate them in time. An example of these attacks can be found in one of the largest vulnerabilities not only in this operating system but in the entire history of software that could affect more than 900 million people.
However, we are faced with a complex situation: On the one hand, attacks increase and on the other, the developers incorporate improvements either, in physical aspects of the software such as the incorporation of markers such as the fingerprint reader, or with security improvements and guarantee of privacy of users and their contents in the applications themselves. March is being a month full of news in this regard. Next, we tell you the new vulnerabilities that have emerged in the most recent versions of Android and also, how the world's most downloaded and used tools are reacting to deal with these threats.
Stagefight returns to the fray
This malware is one of the ones that causes the biggest headaches in Mountain View. We already heard about it in the summer due to its great capacity for contagion between devices and the fact that it was very easy to be attacked by stagefight since it used the MMS to reach the terminals. However, a name change occurs and it is renamed Metaphor and of which one of its most damaging actions is the erasure of all stored content. Its main objectives are all those tablets and smartphones equipped with the versions 5.1, 5.0, 4.0 and 2.1.
The case of Snapdragon
On other occasions we have talked about the new generation of processors created by Qualcomm and that reach higher speeds as well as better resource management compared to their predecessors. However, these newer models are being targeted by hackers as they can use this component to access the administrator permission exclusive to the operating system and freely manipulate the devices it infects, stealing the information stored on the one hand and, on the other, rendering the terminals unusable.
The reaction of Facebook and Whatsapp
On many occasions, aggression come from applications that, in some of its files, they may contain harmful elements without the creators of the same and, finally, the users, being aware of it. No tool escapes this setback, not even the most used and that at first glance, should be the safest. To counteract the effect of attacks and to meet the demands for protection of security and above all, privacy, so demanded by millions of people for a long time, the creators of Facebook and Whatsapp have started to implement the encryption in conversations, sending voice files and other audiovisual content. On the other hand, it is also expected that in the coming months, the group chats of the messaging application will also go through the incorporation of encryption.
How to prevent Stagefight attacks?
Currently, we find new fixes and patches with a frequency that ranges from one to two months. Although they arrive late, they are limiting the impact of all this type of software. In the case of attacks by stagefight, the best alternative is to update to version marshmallow Android if possible. If our devices are older and do not have this possibility, versions after 4.2 are also a good barrier against this malware.
Are we facing an improvement in security?
The protection of the users continues being a pending task to solve on the part of the companies and also of the creators of applications. In many cases, improvements come slowly and after complaints and reports from millions of users. However, not everything is negative and little by little we are seeing how, although the number of attacks and malicious elements continues to increase, security is also increasing with the incorporation of patterns such as those mentioned before. After learning more about some of the vulnerabilities that Android faces, but which have nevertheless remained latent in recent months, do you think that despite the fact that manufacturers continue to improve their terminals, there will always be attacks and hackers will always find ways access to our devices, or however, do you think that their action will be limited with the new updates and models that come on the market? You have more related information available, such as the greatest risks to which we expose ourselves when using our tablets and smartphones. and how to minimize them to be able to enjoy them smoothly.