Researcher To Release Web-Based Android Attack

CWmike writes "A computer security researcher says he plans to release code Thursday that could be used to attack some versions of Google's Android phones over the Internet. The attack targets the browser in older, Android 2.1-and-earlier versions of the phones. It is being disclosed Thursday at the HouSecCon conference by M.J. Keith, a security researcher with Alert Logic. Keith says he has written code that allows him to run a simple command line shell in Android (video) when the victim visits a website that contains his attack code. The bug used in Keith's attack lies in the WebKit browser engine used by Android. Google said it knows about the vulnerability. 'We're aware of an issue in WebKit that could potentially impact only old versions of the Android browser,' Google spokesman Jay Nancarrow confirmed in an e-mail. 'The issue does not affect Android 2.2 or later versions.' Version 2.2 runs on 36.2 percent of Android phones, Google says"

Comments

That so called Researcher should be arrested

[bogaboga]

"A computer security researcher says he plans to release code Thursday that could be used to attack some versions of Google's Android phones over the Internet. The attack targets the browser in older, Android 2.1-and-earlier versions of the phones.

How can he be permitted to release something, which when used as intended, does harm to others? This is insane...and he does it "in the light of day!"

Other tools that folks have used to harm others have dual use...but for this code, I do not see any use save for harm. What am I missing?

Re:And the rest?

[MichaelKristopeit162]

"the rest on versions lower" implies that the only quoted number "32.6%" included 2.2 and above... as stated, it doesn't.

what about the percent on versions above 2.2?