Is Android easily hackable or not?

[larry1076]

I remember it was always said that Android phones cannot be hacked unless you download a questionable app.

Now it's being said that Android is so easy to get hacked, and it was in the news about Trump that he had his Android phone with him etc.

How do you understand this?

 

[ManiacJoe]

Rumors are only as good as their sources.
Who are your sources for these "now everyone saying"?

 

[larry1076]

This article:
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2017/01/26/is-president-trump-still-using-his-old-android-phone.html

And the general chatter in the news about smart TV's being used to spy on you.

 

[meattray]

Most of these holes get patched with the security patches. Yes, if you're doing questionable things on your phone and notsure where you're downloading apps from you could have a problem but otherwise you can feel fairly safe.

 

[ManiacJoe]

You may be misinterpreting what they are referring to as "unsecured".
When you get up into that level of government, there are levels of security for communications well above what we lowly citizens have access to.
That said, the modern cel phones are quite secure as long as the users do not interfere with it. Just ask the FBI about trying to get into phones.

 

[LeoRex]

Trump's phone is going on 5 years old (S3)

 

[larry1076]

... (If you're) not sure where you're downloading apps from you could have a problem but otherwise you can feel fairly safe.

But even apps on the Google Play store, even if it has good reviews... If the developer is from China some say here [https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=778729] they wouldn't use. But then again even if it was made in the USA, how can you know if the permissions aren't being abused by the developer?

 

[meattray]

But even apps on the Google Play store, even if it has good reviews... If the developer is from China some say here [https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=778729] they wouldn't use. But then again even if it was made in the USA, how can you know if the permissions aren't being abused by the developer?

That's the beauty of the newer versions of android. You're able to set which permissions you want to give the apps access to. There's several apps where it will ask for permissions that I don't think are necessary. If I can't find a good reason for it to be asking for that then I delete the app.

 

[Morty2264]

In my own opinion, I don't think Android phones are "super easy" to hack. Yes, probably most if not all devices across the board - not excluding other platforms, like Apple - are hackable in some way or another. But if you're taking general care of your device (ie, not accessing questionable sites, getting security updates, not clicking on pop-ups within apps), I wouldn't worry too much about this. Plus, the chances of your phone being the specific phone out of the millions out there that gets hacked are pretty slim.

I've heard that Trump has an S2 or 3, which is an older version of Samsung... So I'm assuming he doesn't get any security updates anymore. But again, I wouldn't worry too much about this. Any device, computer, tablet, etc is prone to being hacked in some way... But if you're a careful user, you'll be fine.

 

[J Dubbs]

I know modern Android operating systems are WAY too easy to break. You download a security update which is supposed to protect you, and it breaks something which always seems to take a factory reset to fix.

You upgrade the OS and gauranteed you're going to have some kind of issues that of course require a factory reset.

Even some app downloads gone wrong can require a factory reset...... it's really ridiculous.

So I have no faith anymore in Android security. I have very little faith in the day to day working of my phone let alone any high level of protection

 

[ManiacJoe]

I know modern Android operating systems are WAY too easy to break.

Not sure what you are describing would normally be considered a security problem.

 

[adyy]

Since it is a linux based operating system....the answer is pretty simple

 

[Gayle Lynn]

Don't believe everything you read or hear on FOX.
Drive by infection was and is an issue.
There are your $12-18,000 Android phones too.
And government comm devices.
Waiting a year for next Android OS or months long to get an update is worrisome.

https://arstechnica.com/security/20...t-critical-android-bugs-care-of-hacking-team/

"Svpeng-pushers have been using AdSense to deliver the malware: they created malicious ads that include Javascript code, which contains the malicious APK file (broken down into blocks) and saves it to the target’s device."

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2016/11/08/bug-chrome-mobile-android-malware/

Most secure smartphones. http://www.zdnet.com/article/the-worlds-most-secure-smartphones-and-why-theyre-all-androids/

 

[Aquila]

The S3 is vulnerable because it is old and has never been patched for modern vulnerabilities. Android in general is very secure unless you modify it, which most OEM's allow you to do, in varying ways. The most secure devices available are the Pixel/XL, Nexus 6P/5X and then it either falls to Blackberry's Android devices or the iPhone, depending on when we're speaking relative to the latest patches.

 

[Gayle Lynn]

Off the shelf Android is vulnerable. Better than it was. And there are too many old - even year old is still old in terms of security - in our IoT with 100's million phones that have older versions.

It took one device out of 5500 at Lockheed to compromise everyone.