Android Security Flaw Leaves 950 Million Phones Vulnerable

Android Security Flaw Leaves 950 Million Phones Vulnerable

  • By Matt Holden
  • Jul 28, 2015

A researcher has discovered a security flaw in Android phones that can be utilized through a simple MMS message.

Joshua Drake, VP of platform research and exploitation for Zimperium, discovered the vulnerabilities in the OS known as ‘Stagefright,’ which is used to play, create and edit multimedia files according to a report.

The vulnerabilities could be exploited by receiving a message or watching a video file in web browser that has been carefully constructed.

Hackers could easily intercept someone’s phone without their authorization by sending a message, taking control of the device, and then deleting the message; thus eliminating any evidence of the hack.

Different Android devices have different access capabilities for Stagefright, so not all devices will be affected the same way. Drake also offered patches and says he gave them to Google in April, although the update has yet to reach users.

About the Author

Matt Holden is an Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media, Inc. He received his MFA and BA in journalism from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He currently writes and edits for Occupational Health & Safety magazine, and Security Today.

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