Androidsecurity
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Android is getting a feature that encrypts website name requests
Google's efforts to push websites to use encrypted connections is paying off. Just days ago, the search giant revealed that HTTPS use on its own products is at 89 percent overall, up from just 50 percent at the beginning of 2014. (Not sure what we're blabbering on about? Just peep the green lock icon and the word "secure" in the address bar). Now, Google is adding an extra layer of security to Android. XDA Developers has spotted that DNS over TLS (Transport Layer Security) support is heading to the mobile OS, according to the Android Open Source Project -- meaning DNS queries will be encrypted to the same level as HTTPS.
Google offers even more money for Android bugs
Since launching its Android Security Rewards program last year, Google has paid out more than $550,000 to 82 people for their discoveries of security flaws in the company's mobile operating system. Now, the tech giant is offering between 33 percent and 50 percent more money for reports filed after June 1st, 2016.
Google's Android security scans over 200 million devices a day
Google has released a white paper detailing what the Android security team's been working on in the last year. Of course, this is the company reporting on itself, but it at least offers an insight into the degree of security threats the company has to deal with. In 2014, the company noted 79 vulnerabilities, with 41 of them moderate. There's also high and critical severity levels, but nothing reached red alert status last year. 73 of these issues have already been delivered to Android's open source project, with six left to be added. (Phone makers and carriers get access to the vulnerability issues so they can patch before the issue is made public.) The paper goes on to detail how security's been beefed up on Google's mobile OS; Read on for more.
Panasonic and Red Bend Software announce Android security partnership at MWC
Panasonic wants you to feel secure in its gentle embrace, which is why it's paired up with Massachusetts-based Red Bend Software to secure your cellphone's personal data. Pointing to the open nature of Android as a weakness when it comes to device security, the partnership created a safe folder isolated from the operating system that is only accessible by password or smart card. The clever part is Red Bend were able to get vLogix Mobile Linux to work as an independently virtualized OS yet run at the same time as Android runs cleanly -- with your personal data encrypted inside the ROM to prevent software reverse-engineering. The company isn't saying how it's planning to implement the feature or if it'll be generally available, but if you're looking for a safe place to store those confidential emails you should read all the gory details after the break.
