And you thought Android security was weak
With the proliferation of Android smartphones scattered across the globe, it is only Nexus devices owners that initially get to experience the best of everything that Android has to offer including software updates and security patches. A shocking revelation to be told here is that several Android device owners have absolutely no clue if their devices will be receiving a patch when a new bug is made public or not.
While fingers can definitely be pointed towards manufacturers who do not put in significant amounts of efforts in order to release security and software updates, the fault lies with us as well.
The latest study from a firm called Duo Security has found out that in addition to featuring poor security protocols, Android device owners are not doing enough to keep the data stored on their devices safe. The security firm also reported that only one in 10 Android devices has enabled pre-boot passcode device encryption, though this may change as more Android 6.0 devices are released.
Google updated its compatibility policy for OEMs to require they enable full-disk encryption by default out of the box, although according to Google’s distribution figures, just 0.7 percent of devices are running Android 6.0.
Most users also do not enable a lockscreen protection on their devices and in comparison, iPhone users are actually more careful about their data because only one in 20 iPhones have failed to have the lockscreen enabled. In addition to receiving timely updates, Apple’s iOS has also been commended on its security. Here are more statistical data that is bound to shock you; only 32 percent of Android devices are running version 4.0 and below, and that makes them even more vulnerable to Android’s Stagefright media library bugs because they lack key exploit-mitigation defences, and these are only available in the newer versions of Android.
Duo Security continues to remind businesses and its respective employees to commence using Google’s Nexus lineup of smartphones since these will always be the first to receive the latest security patches and software updates. Unless smartphone manufacturers start taking these software and security updates seriously, Nexus smartphones and tablets will definitely have their perks of owning them.
