Android Bug reported to affect nearly a billion devices across the globe.
Researchers have found a virus in Android Operating System (OS) that is believed to have infected nearly a billion smartphones.
A group of experts from US information security company Zimpherium said that the bug is one of the worst Android vulnerabilities to date, estimating hundreds of millions of Android devices that were possibly affected.
Joshua Drake, vice president of platform research and exploitation, said that a target’s mobile number is the only thing required to launch the hack, which could hit anyone from government offices to multinational company executives.
“These vulnerabilities are extremely dangerous because they do not require the victim to take any action to be exploited”, Mr. Drake stated.
It simply arrives in a file delivered within a multimedia message, which can bypass Android security to allow access to files, storage and cameras. Thus, the mega bug does not need any action from the victim but automatically access all the data on the handset through a certain malicious code. This activity can be triggered while you are asleep. And by the time you wake up, the attacker will remove any signs and traces of the said discrepancy which leaves you with no knowledge at all.
The smartphones and other devices running Android versions 2.2 (Froyo) and after are susceptible in getting the bug especially those using any version older than Jelly Bean (4.1).
Android is the software platform for mobile devices based on the Linux and it was developed by Google in partnership with Open Handset Alliance.
Google has now produced a patch to protect the devices running Android OS and expressed their plans to release more safeguards for its Nexus devices beginning next week.
Mr. Drake and his team will reveal further details on the flaw at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas next week. IMAGE/technobuffalo
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