The world's most popular mobile operating system has been updated with improved security and privacy features. Android 14 will require apps to explicitly state how they are using certain phone functions, limit the amount of data they can share, and make any downloaded files read-only. A standout security feature is the blocking of malicious apps that target older API levels, which makes it easier to exploit sensitive permissions. Android 14 will also limit the sending of Intents that don't have a specified receiver, in order to prevent malware from stealing user data. Additionally, dynamic code loading will be restricted to read-only mode, which should help protect against code-injection scenarios. To prevent simpler permissions abuse, Android 14 will not allow the installation of apps that target SDK versions lower than 23. Google has also included a runtime permission model since Android 6.0, which requires apps to ask the user for permission when accessing private features. To make sure users are not installing outdated apps, Google has implemented a new permissions protection system. Finally, Android 14 should help customers get more usage out of their devices battery and reduce power consumption. To install Android 14, users can flash the factory image using Fastboot, side-load the OTA package for their device from Recovery using ADB, or install Android 14 GSI.
This Cyber News was published on cybersecuritynews.com. Publication date: Thu, 09 Feb 2023 16:49:02 +0000