Researcher Claims Threat to Android Memory Cards

 by Holly Shoemaker

Apple’s app mess continues to garner attention, but security researcher Ravi Borgaonkar last week warned users about potential Android threats, noting that he informed Google of security vulnerabilities in June. He claims those using Android’s operating system risk disabling or wiping clean data such as contacts. In particular, those who open website links on a mobile app with malicious code could trigger an attack destroying memory cards in handsets made by Samsung, HTC, Sony Ericsson and Motorola.

The researcher also calls out the Galaxy S III. Samsung acknowledged that an issue affected early models of its flagship device, but said a software update issued in June fixed the problem. Despite that, Borgaonkar claims the fix was not publicized enough.

Outstanding Problems?

Borgaonkar claims that those using Gingerbread, Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean remain vulnerable to attacks, and that Honeycomb, used for tablets, still needs testing to determine risk. Samsung said it will conduct an internal review to assess the threat level to other devices and encourages users to check for software updates to lessen threats by going to the “Settings: About device: Software update” menu.

Real Concern?

Security threats must contain some type of vulnerability. At this time, the risk level remains uncertain. Those who want to obtain data look for some way to profit from it. While Android by default opens its apps to more risk, always assess the potential for vulnerability before panicking.