Wireless Carriers Leave Millions of Android Phones Prone to Hackers
Millions of Android smartphones are left vulnerable as wireless phone carriers and handset manufacturers refuse to launch existing software security fixes to devices within an adequate timeframe.
Chris Soghoian, Principal Technologist and Senior Policy Analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union, said that unlike the iPhone, which sees Apple having power over carriers and also controlling the release of software updates to its devices, Android users are unable to receive an update on their phone without the carrier’s involvement. "The phones have to contact a server run by the carrier in order to get an update."
The update schedule of bug fixes coming from wireless carriers or hardware makers can take up to a year or longer to come to fruition. "When Apple decides that it’s going to give a security update to consumers or a feature update, every consumer who plugs their phone into their computer gets the update whether or not their respective regional carrier likes it," Soghoian said at the Kaspersky Security Analyst Summit.
With Android, "you get updates when the carrier wants it and when the hardware manufacturer wants it, and usually that’s not very often." He added, "This is not an instance where I’m criticizing Google for not fixing the bugs. Google’s team will usually fix it very promptly and make it available to all of their hardware partners. The problem here is that fixes for critical security vulnerabilities are simply not getting downstream and reaching consumers."
"You don’t need [a zero-day exploit] to attack most Android devices if consumers are running 13-month old software," Soghoian continued. He said that carriers need to accept responsibility for the devices they’re selling or leave the control of updates to Google. However, he believes that won't happen unless the government intervenes and applies pressure.
During the third quarter of 2012, the amount of Android malware surged by a considerable amount, with each new exploit becoming more sophisticated.
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This is one thing Apple does right with the iPhone. Google needs to push their weight around with carriers in support of their OEM's.
If carriers refuse to update phones and refuse to let susbcribers update their own phones, carriers should be responsible for malware data usage since this effectively means carriers refuse to do the minimum effort required to reduce the likelihood of malware getting on their devices.
This is one thing Apple does right with the iPhone. Google needs to push their weight around with carriers in support of their OEM's.
A person whouldnt have to risk bricking their phone, voiding their warranty, increasing the cost of service only to get timely upgrades.
Rooting should be done by enthusiasts, not seen as something the average typical user should do.
If carriers refuse to update phones and refuse to let susbcribers update their own phones, carriers should be responsible for malware data usage since this effectively means carriers refuse to do the minimum effort required to reduce the likelihood of malware getting on their devices.
That's why there needs to be a middle of the road OS, something that is more controlled then Android, but less controlled then iOS. Finding a way to standardize more internal hardware would help things rollout faster maybe? Or maybe make it so Samsung, Motorola, HTC, ect can all give you updates by plugging into your computer, bypassing the carrier crap they go through. I am sure this is against the contracts phone makers sign though.
Anyone correct me if I am wrong
A ToS doesn't always mean you are off the hook in court.
I agree. Our congress critters are also free to pass legislation making carriers liable. You know, it'd be nice if they did something actually useful.
Companies put tons of crap in their contracts, ToS, etc. that does not hold water in court or gets abused in ways that courts may rule unconscionable - clauses that courts rule no sane person would accept unless they were forced to or otherwise had little to no other choice.
IIRC, the arbitration clause many carriers put in their contracts to dissuade people from taking carriers to court got struck down a couple of times by judges saying such clauses are anti-constitutional and therefore void.
Install a custom ROM
Cyanogen Mod 10.1 is Extremely good. Faster, longer battery life.
Then add Comodo Antivirus, your covered.
Latest OS, great security.
To each his/her own.
If you want to keep your secure settings, don't change the default developer options and don't install apps that require more privileges than they should. Rooting actually decreases your security a bit because it gives you access and control over the system partition and the OS files. It should only be done if you really know what you're doing.
If your device works as intended with an older OS version, just keep it. Why force an update that will make it worse in case the hardware can't keep up with it? Apple is crippling their older devices by doing this, no need to join that trend.
Finally, if you really have to do it, research a lot before jumping in.
http://www.androidcentral.com/editorial-fragmentation-malware-and-clicks
This guy has more sense than a lot of people posting articles on TH (including the OP).
After launch, hardware makers don't want the cost of redoing their custom work (mating android to their hardware and drivers). Similar story for the carriers. Only nexus has vanilla android.
It's all about the money. Spending money isn't beneficial to them if they don't think it will buy them something valuable.
agreed but i would add farther that phone makers like htc and samsung have little reason to update a phone either, my wife's rooted samsung should still eb on 2.3 but instead has 4.0, my buddy's htc evo could also run 4.0 but because he is not willign to root he will never get 4.0 or higher, his phone could easily run it but even htc never released the drivers for it because they want people to buy a new device
Once again, rooting needs to stop being pushed as something typical. Rooting should only be done by those who know exactly what they are doing, are willing to brick their phones, are willing to accept the voiding of the warranty and accept possibly paying more for technical support as well as be willing to pay full price for a replacement phone if something goes wrong.
In the case of installing a custom ROM, yes, that is all great for the tinkerer, but it is awful advice for someone who depends on their phone. There is also the issue that this takes you off the upgrade path. This may be fine for merely OS upgrades, however, it is not always upgrades that get pushed. If a carrier makes changes to their network that changes how the phone and the network interact, they have to push out an update for that, and if you have a custom ROM, you don't get it.
I'm not saying there is something wrong with rooting in and of itself, but the problem comes in when people say to do it casually as if it's no different then turning your phone on and never talk about the potential risks and downsides. Read any responsible Android site and they point out the benefits AND the pitfalls of rooting as well as custom ROMs.
We need some details.