Bit9 has just released a report listing the 10 most "security vulnerable" android phones...and guess what? It lists the LG Optimus S, and its variants (think Optimus V) as number 7 on the list. Why? Outdated android OS...and it blames the manufacturers and mobile phone carriers as the culprits because they invest their time and money on selling new phones instead of providing updates to their existing ones. Their recommendation? Lobby the manufacturers and mobile phone carriers and insist they provide timely android OS updates to their present phone offerings AND refuse to buy additional phones from them until they demonstrate a "security update commitment" to their customers. Should we petition LG and Virgin Mobile to follow Bit9's recommendations?
The Most Vulnerable Smartphones of 2011-Bit9 Report
- Thread starter dansho
- Start date
As long as LG's phones are easy to root & install CyanogenMod, it's not an issue for me personally.
True for you, and me, but what about the many OV owners who don't, or won't, root and install custom ROM's? Should they NOT have access to the latest android OS security updates (and is so doing protect their personal phone information)?
very true. I know people who refuse to modify their phone because they think its somehow wrong or bad, or somehow will make it perform worse.
My friend with a Galaxy S is still rocking 2.1. I put Kies and the drivers on my laptop and showed him an update was available, an official samsung update. and he refused.
I showed him MIUI on my triumph and he loves it and wont leave my phone alone, and when I tell him he could put it on his he refuses. something in his mind thinks if the phone itself doesnt grab the updates over 3G or wifi, then it wasnt meant for his phone.
its THESE people that suffer when manufacturers refuse to update phones or update using dumb methods (samsung kies....)
for every 1 person on an Android forum rooting and ROMing their phone, there are 50-100 people who will never do anything of the sort, or ever visit a forum for their phone.
its hard to tell, becuase it seems everyone on the forum is ROMing their phone, but thats becuase everyone who doesnt want to is never even going to seek out the forum in the first place.
Well it's not like the company is leaving you with no options. Technically you can always buy a new phone if you don't wanna mod yours to make it safer.
Virgin Mobile denied my review I made about the Triumph on their website.
It was all positive but I said that the phone shouldnt have shipped with froyo and Virgin Mobile needs to wake up, and that software is 60% of a good phone.
it was a positive review, and they posted bad reviews before. weird.
It was all positive but I said that the phone shouldnt have shipped with froyo and Virgin Mobile needs to wake up, and that software is 60% of a good phone.
it was a positive review, and they posted bad reviews before. weird.
There still are plenty of older phones on older hardware that are not getting support. I would rank the V higher then S, the S got a gingerbread update though it broke a lot of them. I highly doubt we will ever see an official V update.
Lobbying the manufacturer's and carriers will not do adamn thing. 9 ouut of 10 users don't know their phone is at danger an don't really care either. With the shotgun approach used by the manufacturer's they don't have the time or real incentive to update every phone/
Lobbying the manufacturer's and carriers will not do adamn thing. 9 ouut of 10 users don't know their phone is at danger an don't really care either. With the shotgun approach used by the manufacturer's they don't have the time or real incentive to update every phone/
They denied my review as well, and it was all positive feedback. They didn't say what in my review was unacceptable, and to be honest, I don't care. If they don't want positive feedback, then that's their choice.
The most important thing to keep in mind about this issue is that THERE IS NO SOFTWARE SOLUTION!!! Do not fall for the various anti-virus apps, they are worthless and will in fact slow down your phone and eat it's battery like crazy. Not to mention, many of them are in fact psudo-viruses if not malware themselves.
All 12 of the 2011 top most vulnerable phones in their report were android phones and, in order:
1) Samsung Galaxy Mini
2) HTC Desire
3) Sony Ericcson Xperial X10
4) Sanyo Zio
5) HTC Wildfire
6) Samsung Epic 4G
7) LG Optimus S
8) Samsung Galaxy S
9) Motorola Droid X
10) LG Optimus One
11) Motorola Droid 2
12) HTC Evo 4G
And to repeat their recommendation...force the manufacturers and cell phone carriers to take notice by pocketbook boycotting...refuse to buy more phones until their updating policy changes!
I see the benefit in voting with your pocketbook. But honestly the people we need to get to stop buying these phones and refusing to bug the carriers for a update are the ones talked about that are clueless.
Think about this if it is true for every one of us here there is 50 others that have no idea how customizable their phone is. If we could get those people to request and refuse to buy new phones the updates would end up happening. However its just not going to happen. Too many people would rather buy a new phone then take the time to write a short email and send it to the PR department of Motorola and Verizon or to LG and Virgin.
Think about this if it is true for every one of us here there is 50 others that have no idea how customizable their phone is. If we could get those people to request and refuse to buy new phones the updates would end up happening. However its just not going to happen. Too many people would rather buy a new phone then take the time to write a short email and send it to the PR department of Motorola and Verizon or to LG and Virgin.
Intellectually speaking I agree...although my gut tells me it's wrong to distribute a product and then NOT support it by offering security updates (which each new version of android does besides some new window dressing). What if the companies behind MS WINDOWS and/or APPLE OS never offered any security updates? Would we demand action and BOYCOTT any other products they sold until they acted upon our request? Consumers, in this atrocious world economy, truly are in the driver seat...but uniting us collectively to put pressure on these companies is difficult and daunting at best. Just wish we could do something to achieve a positive outcome.
I see alot of scare mongering, but haven't yet seen any direct evidence of harm done from Android based security issues. I know it's only a matter of time, but for now, I'm at peace with my phone.
but uniting us collectively to put pressure on these companies is difficult and daunting at best. Just wish we could do something to achieve a positive outcome.
This is the big problem getting 1 million people to agree will be very hard.
I agree with the premise of your idea, I just know its very unlikely to happen.
I'd think the reason they are vulnerable is the same reason why we love the phone so much: we've got root.
In that regard i look at this more as a shopping list rather than phones to avoid.
In that regard i look at this more as a shopping list rather than phones to avoid.
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