Security flaw opens all modern Android devices to "zombie botnet" takeover [u]

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  • Reply 101 of 276
    walkopwalkop Posts: 12member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by drblank View Post

    A widget is an app, just one that is running all of the time and requiring resources.   Apple just built in the flashlight into the OS because it's a simple piece of code that doesn't require an app or widget.

     

    Actually, most of these widgets consume so little resources that they might as well not even be there. Ones like the flashlight use 4-5MB of RAM at the most? You can monitor that if you want to by drilling down in the settings. Nonetheless, I like Apple's approach more!
  • Reply 102 of 276
    mactelmactel Posts: 1,275member


    This news isn't going to slow the adoption of Android.  A malware plagued environment that was Windows XP below did not stop people from buying Windows over and over again.  They simply got used to the fact their systems were insecure.  The anti-malware companies will be on Android to reap the profits then they'll post a version for iOS to make it seem like iOS has the same problems when it doesn't.

  • Reply 103 of 276
    d4njvrzfd4njvrzf Posts: 797member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Walkop View Post


     

    They made an app SCANNER that had one insecurity, which has already been patched in Google Play. Which is totally modular and system independent —a lot of people don't get that part. There are basically no "system" apps; Google has been steadily removing them the past few months. The gallery, keyboard, gmail app, and even the Play Store itself update independently of the OS (at least, the gallery will very likely be modular around the same time as the Android 4.3 release). 


    Are the apps modular in android 2.3 and older? If not, does google have the ability to make them so? Could it push out Google Play versions of system software that replace the older versions tied to the OS?

  • Reply 104 of 276
    dunksdunks Posts: 1,254member
    I wonder if this will garner anywhere near the same attention by the mainstream press received by any number of the myriad lesser security claims made against iOS.

    Good luck with patching a security hole this big when only 1/3 of users are on your latest OS release.
  • Reply 105 of 276
    aaronjaaronj Posts: 1,595member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dunks View Post



    I wonder if this will garner anywhere near the same attention by the mainstream press received by any number of the myriad lesser security claims made against iOS.



    Good luck with patching a security hole this big when only 1/3 of users are on your latest OS release.


     


    No, it will garner about 1% the press.


     


    If you're a website, you want clicks (clicks = ad views, obviously).  No one really cares to click on an Android story in the mainstream.  Apple gets clicks like cray-cray.  So, this won't get coverage.


     


    This is simple logic.


     


    PS: That being said, of course this will be reported on sites like this, and Ars, and Slashdot, etc.  But what?  About 0.00001% of the population reads those sites?

  • Reply 107 of 276
    stike vomitstike vomit Posts: 195member


    Why does DED have such a massive boner for Android news?

  • Reply 108 of 276
    kiltedgreenkiltedgreen Posts: 598member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by os2baba View Post


     


    I really can't understand how anyone can pirate apps that cost about a cup of coffee or a lunch at most.



     


    Well just read some of the comments on the App Store - iOS users frequently seems to rip into about any app that isn't free no matter what it is. And then they buy 2400 virtual doughnuts in the Simpsons' Game for £70!!!  image


     


    Mind you, I can't understand it either, I'm just saying that it happens. It's even curiouser when you think that they actually have to hand over their money to get the device in the first place.

  • Reply 109 of 276
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    macfandave wrote: »
    iOS users, let's have a schadenfreude dance party!!!!

    Quid pro quo. Android users throw the best schadenfreude dance parties. Will you show us how to do it right?
  • Reply 110 of 276
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    walkop wrote: »
    Amazon has an app they make free for a day every day! :D Except that's only in the states... not Canada. BAH! D:

    You can always apply for citizenship for that free Amazon Android cookie. Mmm...cookie.
  • Reply 111 of 276
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    Well just read some of the comments on the App Store - iOS users frequently seems to rip into about any app that isn't free no matter what it is. And then they buy 2400 virtual doughnuts in the Simpsons' Game for £70!!!  :mad:

    Mind you, I can't understand it either, I'm just saying that it happens. It's even curiouser when you think that they actually have to hand over their money to get the device in the first place.

    It's called an App Store ecosystem that has paid independent software vendors $10 billion and counting. Not that Android users would know about or appreciate sustainable app economies.
  • Reply 112 of 276
    poksipoksi Posts: 482member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by koop View Post


     


    As it's been said, Google makes money indirectly from Android. There are many ways they grow the company via mobile. Mobile advertisements are one reason. They make some money from Apps and Media services. But ultimately they want to further tie you into their ecosystem which involves web browser services as well as mobile. 


     


    They really ticked off Apple though, which has had blowback. I personally hold the belief that both companies are making each other's product's better. I'm curious where the iPhone would be today without Android's competition. 



     


    Fandroids usually scream iOS is the same as it ever was, so in their words, Android hasn't changed iOS a bit image


     


    It is actually opposite: how would Android be if there wasn't iOS? Would there be any Android at all? 

  • Reply 113 of 276
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    Why does DED have such a massive boner for Android news?

    Uhh...Why are you obsessed with DED's massive boner? That's...creepy.
  • Reply 114 of 276
    poksipoksi Posts: 482member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GTR View Post


     




     


    both made from same plastic material.

  • Reply 115 of 276
    thepixeldocthepixeldoc Posts: 2,257member
    Funny all of you Android apologists here don't like to mention that the majority of the statistics you point to of "Android winning" are made up of the majority being outside of the US.

    Also, that outside of the US, there are around 500+ alternative app stores to Google's, where Google has no say or power to fix anything.

    That a large majority of those "stores" don't actually sell anything... but are "free-4-all" platforms of hacked apps.

    And finally, the one app that is probably on any mobile including iOS is WhatsApp. Google or YouTube search how that app is hacked: turn on install from unknown sources.

    Considering that WhatsApp is a huge platform and on billions of Android phones.... that... and only that app... "could" socially engineer a malware trigger quite easily.

    Ran across this pretty decent statistic page from April 2013 while researching...

    [URL=http://techland.time.com/2013/04/16/ios-vs-android/]Who’s Winning, iOS or Android? All the Numbers, All in One Place[/URL]
  • Reply 116 of 276
    poksipoksi Posts: 482member


    Such news have no impact of whatsoever on sales and adoption of Android or iOS. Android is there because Google wants ad monopoly and gadget makers need to make their gadgets alive. Security was never issue for any of them. Enterprises still won't buy Android and kids won't buy any less.

  • Reply 117 of 276
    technarchytechnarchy Posts: 296member


    I think some here are over reacting and overstating Android's security vulnerabilities.


     


    These things always get fixed with the latest software updates, so there's nothing to be concerned about at all.


     


    Just wait for the Jelly Bean update and all will be fine...any day now... 

  • Reply 118 of 276
    aaronjaaronj Posts: 1,595member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by poksi View Post


     


    both made from same plastic material.



     


    HAHA!  Well, even Heidi regrets getting those 10 procedures in one day, in order to look like a human Barbie Doll.

  • Reply 119 of 276

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by runbuh View Post



    So - according to this, I have to load a compromised app (an app originally signed and distributed by a legitimate developer, then compromised by a rogue). Can someone explain how this is supposed to happen via the app store? Doesn't seem likely. Seems more likely to happen if the user downloads and then sideloads such a rogue/hacked app.



    "However, due to the newly discovered Android flaw, a rogue developer can trick the system into thinking that a compromised app is still legitimate, giving it system wide access to do virtually anything."


    I can easily think of ways to get malware on via man-in-the-middle attacks.  Not that hard to do now with all these wifi hotspots around that have very weak security (if any most of the time).

  • Reply 120 of 276

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by poksi View Post


     


    Fandroids usually scream iOS is the same as it ever was, so in their words, Android hasn't changed iOS a bit image


     


    It is actually opposite: how would Android be if there wasn't iOS? Would there be any Android at all? 


     


     



    Yes, but it would be as originally envisaged: a Blackberry clone.

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