Researchers have warned of a vulnerability present on an estimated 86 percent of Android phones that may allow attackers to obtain highly sensitive credentials, including cryptographic keys for some banking services and virtual private networks, and PINs or patterns used to unlock vulnerable devices.
Android fans who are hoping Google will debut a new version of the OS at its annual I/O conference in San Francsico next week might be in for a disappointment ... because the company is rolling out a new version this week.
On Friday, the Chocolate Factory published firmware images of Android 4.4.4 – yes, we're still talking "KitKat" – for the Nexus 4 and 5 phones and the Nexus 7 and 10 fondleslabs. The build number of the new release is KTU84P.
Sometimes things are serendipitous in the tech world. This past Friday, I received a Verizon Samsung Galaxy S5 to review for BetaNews. Yesterday, as part of my testing, I wanted to see how easily I could achieve root access. To my surprise, after many weeks on the market, root was still unachieved by anyone. I even learned that the xda community had raised $18,000 in pledges for whoever could achieve root for both the Verizon and AT&T variants.
The ransomware model is increasingly being adopted by cybercriminals who target mobile users, one of their latest creations being able to encrypt files stored on the SD memory cards of Android devices.
A new threat dubbed Android/Simplock.A was identified by researchers from antivirus firm ESET over the weekend and while it’s not the first ransomware program for Android, it is the first one seen by the company that holds files hostage by encrypting them.
Dual-booting Canonical's Ubuntu Linux and Android on tablets and smartphones has moved a small step closer to reality with the release of a new version of the Ubuntu Dual Boot Installer. Codenamed M9, the release offers support for Ubuntu OS upgrades, along with a slew of other enhancements.
Alas, Canonical is keen to emphasize that the Ubuntu Dual Boot Installer is for developers only, and always will be. The company is not building it with the goal of encouraging us plain folk to use it to install Ubuntu on our Android mobile devices.
Android still doesn’t offer proper multi-window multitasking, but you can get it with a third-party tweak. All you need is root access — you don’t have to install a custom ROM.
Multi-window multitasking is found on some Samsung devices, where it only works with specific apps. You can also use special floating apps on any device. The solution here will let you multitask with any app.
ADW.Launcher developer Ander Webbs has taken to Google+ to share his surprise after finding out his Android app was available in the Nokia Store -- the app store for Nokia X -- seemingly without his permission and without him ever launching the offering there. At first glance it appears Opera, which operates Nokia Store, has jumped the gun by creating an account and uploading the app on his behalf.
Security researchers are warning about ransomware called Koler that demands $300 from Android users who bite on a fake app typically found on porn sites.
The phony BaDoink streaming app, which contains the Koler Trojan, is up on porn sites around the world, says Armando Orozco, senior malware intelligence analyst for Malwarebytes. The company gives credit to a researcher working under the name Kafeine for the discovery of the Android ransomware.
The catastrophic Heartbleed security bug that has already bitten Yahoo Mail, the Canada Revenue Agency, and other public websites also poses a formidable threat to end-user applications and devices, including millions of Android handsets, security researchers warned.
Think about the ways your home is kept secure. You rely on structural security features—secure locks, a rock-hard foundation, strong windows and doors. You might also have an alarm or video camera to give you an extra layer of security, with a support team behind those tools making them more powerful, all but invisible until the moment you need them.
