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There are far fewer choices between Android and iPhone than there used to be. And while Google seems to be more of a follower than a leader, it has managed to beat Apple at its own game with an amazing new update that just rolled out for Android. .
Android dialed up security to 11
getty
Updated 3/31; first published 3/29.
Android and iPhone are getting closer and closer together, and in recent weeks we’ve seen previews of iPhone features that Google has started making available to Android, including encrypted WhatsApp calls in your phone dialer list and satellite SOS messaging. I’m here.
But it seems Apple is moving the iPhone in the direction of Android, especially with the unexpected news that the iPhone may use Gemini and Baidu’s generative AI instead of Apple’s own for the chatbot feature expected in iOS 18. I have also seen it proceed to .
But nothing could prepare you for what Google revealed in its latest Android 15 developer release. In a surprise move that’s more iPhone than iPhone, it looks like Android may be taking privacy to the next level, allowing new devices to hide their location, even from the network.
More notably, Google also previewed features that protect devices from IMSI grabbers and platform interception. These are technologies used by law enforcement and, in some cases, criminals to obtain phone IDs and trick those phones into connecting to a copycat network, allowing them to intercept calls and messages.
Android has played in this space before, but not this time. Dating back to Android 12, and especially Android 14, devices were able to block low-level cellular features that would drop a phone from encrypted to insecure communication. This makes interception much more difficult to perform, but the functionality is buried and hard to find. What we are about to see is this level of privacy becoming mainstream.
The problem is that both of these updates require a new interface between the radio modem and the phone’s OS, since IMSI grabbing and interception is done on the radio side, not the OS side. The modem must be able to run a software interface. This means a new modem. In addition to updating to Android 15, you’ll probably need to upgrade your hardware. Google’s phones are likely to be the first to feature this, with other phones likely to follow.
Mishal Rahman, who discovered the update, said Glover and Intercept are “popular among law enforcement because they can covertly collect data from criminal suspects, but they also allow malicious state actors to spy on journalists.” “They are also used for … they put personal privacy at risk.” There are few safeguards against them, which increases the risk. That’s why Google has been working on updates to Android that prevent devices from sending text and voice data over outdated or unencrypted protocols. ”
Devices with modems that support the new technology layer will display a warning to users if their device ID is captured by the network or if they are connected to an insecure network without the expected level of encryption . This means potential eavesdropping where devices are knocked out from their regular carriers onto high-powered, less secure local wireless networks that mimic cell phone carriers. All traffic is then routed through the fake network and either captured as a backhaul to the real network or blocked.
Location information on the network is different. Most location data we discuss regarding phones is device-centric. Cell phones use GPS and other technologies to determine your location. This can be shared with apps and friends, and we’ve seen multiple privacy updates specifically restricting apps from accessing this feature in secret.
Telephone networks can also ping a device to request its exact location. This feature may be disconnected unless there is an emergency, such as calling 911 or sending an emergency text message.
Rahman explained that while Android already follows the iPhone’s lead in placing stricter restrictions on apps’ access to location data, “the OS does not allow carriers (cellular networks) to obtain location information. However, Android 15 may add ways to the OS to prevent your location data from being sent to your carrier.”
This doesn’t stop carriers from using old-fashioned cell tower triangulation. You can pinpoint the location of a phone connected to your network by pinging multiple towers at the same time and using their location and connection strength to derive a wide range of locations. It’s not as precise as the GPS we’re used to, but it does allow the phone (and its user) to be in a specific location at a specific time.
This is an exciting feature for Android users. We are now taking on new levels of privacy and location masking and addressing some of the continuing device vulnerabilities on the wireless side. And while this will be welcomed by privacy advocates, law enforcement will no doubt consider what this means and how such defenses can be circumvented if necessary. I anticipate that emergency overrides may be invoked by law enforcement under certain circumstances.
Contact your modem OEM now to find out how quickly this technology can be introduced to your radios and how new Android software can enhance your interface and control.
Apple offers much more extensive location controls on the iPhone than on Android, including network search and enhanced emergency alert information. However, these limitations have not yet been brought to the attention that Android is doing here. We hope to see a more detailed comparison between the two, including details on what wireless networking can and cannot do on the iPhone, and how the OS and modem interface.
And that’s what’s most interesting here. Google is leading the way in privacy messaging and user transparency, which has always been Apple’s responsibility.
As always, this level of security and privacy on a cell phone is nice to have, if not game-changing for the vast majority of users. But for journalists, politicians, celebrities, dissidents and protesters, this is a surprising and welcome step forward in improving personal privacy and data security.
Update 3/31: Unsurprisingly, the news that Android 15 brings new privacy advances has sparked some interesting discussion online. “It’s great to see Google taking the nexus of hardware and software security more seriously,” said one person. reddit Posted by user. “This still doesn’t stop SIM swappers or anyone else from targeting you directly. It just sets the bar for seine wireless surveillance much higher. That’s always a good thing.”
There are also questions regarding iOS comparisons. We know that iOS 17 introduced the same type of 2G blocking that Android introduced as a more basic precursor to these new technologies. But only in lockdown mode. EFF hailed this as “a major step towards protecting iOS users from fake cell tower attacks, which are used as a conduit to install spyware such as Pegasus.” However, as the name suggests, Lockdown mode is for high-risk professional users and is not suitable for everyone.
apple To tell As such, “Lockdown mode is an option designed for a small number of individuals who, because of themselves or their actions, may be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats. Extreme protection for most people. Most people will never be targeted by this type of attack. When lockdown mode is enabled, your device will not function normally. Targeted mercenary spyware To reduce the attack surface that can be exploited by users, certain apps, websites, and features may be severely restricted for security, and some experiences may not be available at all.”
This is the real news. Google is making this level of security more mainstream, warning you when your device detects unusual network activity.
So-called Stingray devices rely on dropping less secure phones to 2G, but that’s no longer enough. Android’s own defenses and iOS 17’s defenses protect users from this legacy technology, but new devices (such as Hailstorm) can operate on his 4G network in ways that weren’t possible before. It will look like this.
5G increases the security of how IMSI data is processed and transmitted, so if you’re in an area with good 5G connectivity, you’re better protected. However, that doesn’t stop powerful local radios from trying to bring you down to 4G. It also won’t protect you in areas without 4G or if his 5G connection is LTE+ only.
While EFF praised Android’s early efforts and Apple’s lockdown mode, it was highly critical of Samsung. “So far, Samsung has not taken any steps to include a switch from vanilla Android to 2G, nor has it indicated any plans to do so anytime soon. Samsung often makes Android available on its phones so far, even though its settings are available in the Android open source project, as it often makes significant changes to Android before distributing it to users. We are choosing not to… These failures demonstrate that Samsung believes that the security and privacy of its users is an afterthought. If you are concerned about the security and privacy of your mobile device, please contact us at You should strongly consider using hardware.”
So it will be interesting to see if Samsung responds quickly to these changes in Android 15, unlike in the past, given the need for modems and OS to work together.
Although the technique is not made public for obvious reasons, it is important to monitor for unauthorized network activity and alert users if something is detected. Just disabling 2G is a huge improvement. When a mobile phone is attacked, some process goes on. And detecting elements of that anomalous activity is the best defense. Obviously, sensitive users who see such a warning will immediately shut down their phone.
When it comes to network location, there has been a good discussion about the accuracy of cell tower triangulation. “As long as you’re connected to their tower, they know your approximate location. Regardless of your device settings,” one person said. reddit user. “He worked in a department that provided mobile phone location information to the authorities, so I think he can narrow it down to about 15-25 meters,” said another.
The rules here are very simple. It depends on where you are. Location accuracy is quite good in crowded urban areas with many cell towers around. However, the situation is very different when you move towards rural environments where there are fewer towers and greater distances between them. Things to keep in mind…
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