Android Devices at Risk - Bug Fear in about 900 Million Phones
As per reports from Security firm Check Point, they have recognized bugs which are affecting around 900 million tablets and smartphones which utilize chipsets from Qualcomm, they component maker. It was on Sunday in Las Vegas that Check Point revealed such occurence of vulnerabilities at the DEF CON 24 hacking conference. Check Point has given the name QuadRooter to the 4 different vulnerabilities and these are all set to affect Android devices which use chipsets from Qualcomm. If you're not aware of what chipsets are, they are collections of circuits which tackle the flow of data within the device.
Amongst the QuadRooter, if any one of them is exploited, the bug attacker could receive access to your Android device, as explained in a blog post by Check Point. They also add that any device using such chipsets is at risk of being attacked by these bugs.
Malicious apps exploit the chipset software drivers
If there's an attack, it could abuse the susceptibility in the software driver of the chipset by utilizing some harmful app. However, Check Point also adds that as the drivers are usually installed in the device since its inception or since its manufacture, they can even be fixed by downloading a patch from the carrier or distributor.
This situation brings light to the fact that there are too many security issues in the operating system of Google's Android. Crucial security updates should be passed through the total supply chain before they are offered to the end-users. Once such important updates are available, users shouldn't forget to update them to safeguard their data and their Android devices.
Addressing the vulnerabilities
As per what a spokesperson of Check Point said to a popular news site, there is still no proof that QuadRooter is being used in a cyberattacks and at the same time he also added that only 3-4 critical patches of QuadRooter have been fixed forever. A person from Google has appreciated the research from Check Point and he said that it assisted in enhancing the safety of the entire mobile ecosystem. Hence, Android electronic devices, through the recent security patch level have been safeguarded against 3 of the 4 bugs in question.
The 4th bug, CVE-2016-5340 will be very soon addressed in a forthcoming security bulletin of Android. Google has noticed that their Android partners are taking quick and prompt actions by referring to a 'public patch' which is offered by Qualcomm. Qualcomm reported that they were informed about the bugs during February, 2016 and April and by the time they formed patches for all the 4 bugs between the months of April and July.
Which devices are going to be at risk?
Now that you're aware of this shocking android news, you must be wondering about the devices which comprise of this chipset technology. Some such devices are Google Nexus 5X, BlackBerry Priv, Nexus 6P, Nexus 6 and Galaxy's S7 Edge and S7, as per what Check Point reports. BlackBerry is pretty aware of the flaws and bugs of QuadRooter which are having a bad impact on Android devices. A solution for the Android devices of BlackBerry was tested in their labs soon after they were notified about the cyber attacks. They even relayed the information to the customers too so that they don't fall in trouble.
Samsung hasn't yet commented on this story and Check Point is providing the users with a free scanner app from QuadRooter through which they can scan their devices and know about their susceptibility. Android manufacturers are improving their efforts around mobile phone security and they are not unveiling devices with iris-scanning technology to ramp up security issues.
