Samsung Galaxies - Security Problem

[irneb]

According to this: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/03...file_backdoor/

I.e. there's a flaw in Samsung's version of Android which allows full access to the "modem" on the device. So if someone can hack into the modem's system (proprietary from Samsung themselves) that person then has root access to all of the phone.

[ians]

I read on flipboard technical, apple has a similar problem, hence the 7.1 upgrade.

[ians]

I think people who think the internet is a safe haven for information live in coco land. Even 2 way radio communication is monitored. We had a problem on another forum where we suspected that the admin was collecting info from PM's and using it to steal customers. A potential customer would send another member a PM requesting a quote for items. Someone asked the question, whether or not admin could read peoples PM's and the response was well they shouldn't because it is unethical but yes admin can access people PM's if they "need to".

[irneb]

I read on flipboard technical, apple has a similar problem, hence the 7.1 upgrade.

That's because they were using a very old programming structure: goto. And no-one picked up that they had 2 goto statements following each other - so the rest of the function was always skipped:

http://www.drdobbs.com/architecture-and-design/is-goto-still-considered-harmful/240166595

Not sure if it's the same exact problem on Samsung's side. From the description it doesn't sound like it. Not to do with SSL, but rather the modem (and its separate OS) being allowed to overrule the CPU and its Android OS.

[irneb]

Just thought I'd let you guys know.

Yet another security problem identified (not Samsung specific but for all androids). This time with the default Android browser:

http://arstechnica.com/security/2014/09/android-browser-flaw-a-privacy-disaster-for-half-of-android-users/

So it allows one site's web pages to view all the info on the page from another site. I.e. some Nigerian site may then spy on your on-line banking site to read your passwords.

Phew! I knew there was a reason I didn't like the default browser - use FF/Chrome instead. Even on my old phone I used the Dolphin browser instead of the default one ... don't know just didn't like the way it worked. Was definitely not prescient or something