There is no shadow of a doubt that Android is the most popular mobile system in the world today. Competent marketing, a wide range of options, flexible pricing, and platform support from an impressive number of IT giants and manufacturers - all these have allowed the system to occupy a leading position on the market.
However, just like any other system, Android cannot be completely secure. Unfortunately, developers will never be able to create the perfect code since technologies are constantly changing. What is more, the popularity of the platform is attracting more and more intruders, who are ready to exploit the vulnerabilities of the system. In this post, we will take a closer look at the main threats of the system and protection mechanisms of Android. Apart from using the best rated VPNs for Android, we will give general recommendations on the security of smartphones and gadgets.
Prerequisites for Android Threats
1. Code Openness
The openness of the Android system is associated with several factors. First, it is the availability of code that can be used, modified, and improved by developers depending on their needs. On the one hand, this is definitely a plus for device manufacturers and developers. On the other hand, an open code enables not only researchers but also attackers to find vulnerabilities and errors of the system.
Secondly, it is possible to install applications from the official Google Play catalog or from any other available source. Thirdly, the creation of applications is almost universally available since it is necessary to pay only $25 in case the developer wants to place his products in the official library. Fourthly, programs placed on Google Play have not been subjected to preliminary testing or testing by Google until; as a result, they may contain dangerous malware.
2. Platform Fragmentation
Due to the fact that the Android system is used by a large number of manufacturers of mobile devices and there is no specific framework for their technical characteristics, devices with the most diverse functionality are available to consumers. As the next system update is released, not only new functions are added to it. System vulnerabilities that have been earlier discovered may also be fixed.
However, it sometimes happens that the device does not receive a new version of the OS or software. Accordingly, it remains unprotected from potential threats. The reason for this may be both economic considerations of the developer and technical specs of the product. No matter what the reason is, this all creates serious problems to the end-user.
3. Human Factor
Whatever the level of security of the system is, the human factor plays a significant role in ensuring system safety. So if you forget about the basic rules of data protection, even the safest system will fail one time. For example, the absence of a password for accessing mobile data stored is not a secure approach; connecting to public Wifi networks with no VPN protection can lead to data leakage. Want to avoid that from happening? Make sure to follow the basic rules of data security.
