It seems that your smartphone may very well be an missed vulnerability that places you susceptible to being tracked. To fight this, Google is rolling out a brand new safety characteristic in Android 16 that may warn customers if their system is utilizing a pretend or insecure cell community or if that community requests figuring out details about a related system.
Nonetheless, these options seemingly gained't be obtainable till the subsequent era of Android units, as first reported by Android Authority. Because the present Android units lack the {hardware} to assist these options, the primary suitable Android system we may see with this tech often is the Pixel 10 that's anticipated to debut later this summer season.
This characteristic is designed to counteract cell web site simulators, or units that act like a cell tower and trick close by units into connecting to it. As soon as related, these simulators can glean delicate info, like the situation of a smartphone. These cell web site simulators are higher identified by their industrial nickname, Stingray, and have been reportedly utilized by companies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in addition to Customs and Border Safety.
The upcoming security measures are rolling out as a part of the most recent Android OS replace, which was launched earlier this month. Suitable units can have the choice to toggle "community notifications" on or off, which is able to warn you in case your system connects to an unencrypted community or when the related community requests your telephone's distinctive identifiers. On high of that, there's another choice that permits you to activate "2G community safety" to keep away from the much less safe cell community sort.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cell/smartphones/android-16-will-protect-users-from-fake-cell-towers-and-potential-spying-threats-172337020.html?src=rss