A billion Android smartphones at risk of being hacked claims consumer watchdog
The consumer watchdog group Which? warns personal data could be stolen or users even signed up to premium rate phone services.
Friday 6 March 2020 13:57, UK
More than a billion Android smartphones are at risk of being hacked because they no longer receive security updates, according to consumer watchdog Which?
Two in five Android users could be easy prey for cyber criminals because security flaws in the mobile operating system are no longer being fixed by Google.
Which stated: "Phones and tablets, including handsets still available to buy from online marketplaces such as Amazon, could be affected by a range of malware and other threats.
"This could result in personal data being stolen, getting spammed by ads or even signed up to a premium rate phone service," the organisation warned.
Google data reports that more than 42% of Android users worldwide are still using version 6.0 of Android, known as Marshmallow, or earlier types.
Marshmallow was released in October 2015 and has not received any security updates since 2019.
Which? said it worked with an anti-virus company to see if five phones could be infected with malware. The phones tested were:
- Sony Xperia Z2
- Google Nexus 5
- Motorola Moto X Style
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
- Samsung Galaxy A5
All five phones were able to be infected.
A spokesperson for Google told Sky News: "We're dedicated to improving security for Android devices every day."
The company has said that people who own phones which run older versions of Android should contact their manufacturer to see if they can have the devices' security fixed.
"We provide security updates with bug fixes and other protections every month, and continually work with hardware and carrier partners to ensure that Android users have a fast, safe experience with their devices," the spokesperson added.