Android Update, P, Set To Boost Mobile Security

Error! Not a valid embedded object.Android’s next platform update, P (9.0), set to replace 8.0-8.1, Oreo is what Google has started working on as a solution to add more security to your smart phone. Currently referred to as “Android P” since the dessert name hasn’t been revealed as yet, neither has Google detailed, P officially but that could happen in a few months or less to come.

The latest information reveals that Android P will be tailored to block apps running in the background (idle) from accessing your device’s camera.

Given the nature of Android, an Open Source Project commit has been spotted with new rule-sets to prevent apps idling in the background from accessing the camera. This will prevent malicious apps running in the background from making use of the camera to capture victims in a compromising position by accessing the camera without their knowledge.

This feature will be enforced by tracking the apps’ User IDs. It’s an identifier that’s assigned by Android to each app when it’s installed and the UID remains the same as long as the app is installed on the device.

If the camera service in Android P detects that a UID is “idle,” meaning that the device is in Doze state, it will generate an error and prevent access to the camera. If the inactive UID makes subsequent camera requests an error will be immediately generated thus not allowing it to tap into the camera.

We believe this must be one of Google’s latest means of doing away with the malicious programs after measures to end the hacker’s playbook seeming difficult.

Last year, the internet giant took a tougher stance on apps and games in the Google Play Store, and have been working to weed out the malicious apps that cause harm to its users. Just at the start of this year, the American Multinational Tech Company announced that it had actually removed over 700,000 apps from the Play Store in 2017.

Two to three months ago, famous mobiles phones like the Galaxy and Sony started updating their firmware from old versions to Oreo. Newly launching mobiles are getting max to max Nougat. After some days they are getting their Oreo update.

We believe this is the force driving the development of “Android P” with a deeper security platform for mobile phones.

Google hasn’t confirmed any features of Android P as yet so it may be a while before we get official word from the company about this.