Bugs Will Always Plague Mobile Software. What’s It Mean for Android?
A Samsung device owner recently discovered a method to bypass the login screen and gain full access to his phone without ever entering a password. The technique relies on a flaw in the native emergency call feature that could potentially be abused by hackers and thieves.
SiliconAngle contributing editor John Casaretto went over the latest Cybersecurity news with Kristin Feledy on this morning’s NewsDesk segment (full video below).
Casaretto says that because the login screen is the most fundamental security layer on one’s mobile device, this latest bug has the potential to “shatter” some users’ sense of security. Considering that many mobile users store sensitive corporate information on their devices, and that an even larger number of private individuals have financial apps installed, it’s no surprise that the exploit is making such a splash.
Casaretto elaborates on the loophole and notes that only Samsung devices are vulnerable to the exploit. This means that the issue is with the company’s software and not with Android, which is great news for mobile users who own Android handsets made by competing vendors such as HTC and Motorola.
Samsung customers, on the other hand, don’t have any reason to celebrate yet. At the time of writing Samsung has not announced a patch for the emergency call bug – it hasn’t even issued an official response to the public outcry. Casaretto believes that the wide coverage that this subject is receiving may help accelerate the process, but for the time being users are left with only one choice: putting their trust in third party security solutions.
He wraps up the interview by noting that bugs are always going to make it to mobile software because there are simply too many factors involved. That being said, a security threat is greatly diminished if the developer manages to resolve it it in a timely manner.
See Casaretto’s full analysis below:
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