Slashdot Mirror
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"
N900 is pretty good. 3 core updates (I think) so far plus a upgrade to Meego when it is finished.
Also half the price of similar phones.
Because we've seen from history that most companies won't patch an exploit unless it's screaming at them, and that most exploits are picked up by people who wish actual harm on you before security researchers find them.
Hopefully this will force some device manufacturers to release 2.2 updates for their devices, and with any luck it'll teach them to stick with stock android rather than loading crapware.
--sitharus
Won't it be nice if someone sues a carrier for not providing updates because of which their phone was hacked and valuable data lost? It'll be like a wet dream come true for me :D