Bad news for Android users! A study shows that 99 percent of Android phones are vulnerable to a security attack which allows hackers to access their Google accounts.
Researchers at the University of Ulm tested Android versions 2.1, 2.2, 2.2.1, 2.3.3, 2.3.4, and 3.0 only to find that devices running anything prior to Android 2.3.4 can easily be compromised with the attack method used. Considering that nearly all Android phones are running software version 2.3.3. and below, this means that about 99 percent of devices are vulnerable.
The way the attack works is that an evildoer would take advantage of a device which is connected to an unsecured Wi-Fi network and snatch up its authTokens — basically secret digital codes used to securely identify you and your device and tell a service that you have permission to access it.
Researchers at the University of Ulm tested Android versions 2.1, 2.2, 2.2.1, 2.3.3, 2.3.4, and 3.0 only to find that devices running anything prior to Android 2.3.4 can easily be compromised with the attack method used. Considering that nearly all Android phones are running software version 2.3.3. and below, this means that about 99 percent of devices are vulnerable.
The way the attack works is that an evildoer would take advantage of a device which is connected to an unsecured Wi-Fi network and snatch up its authTokens — basically secret digital codes used to securely identify you and your device and tell a service that you have permission to access it.
