In this technology-driven world, a cell phone is now a lot more than an electronic device that lets us make voice calls or send text messages. In fact, smartphones cover most of our computing needs and provide us with useful and contextual information that meets our requirements. However, this flexibility can only be achieved if you are willing to trust the device and its operating system with access to your personal digital assets. Android is the leading mobile phone operating system, and its success is mainly due to the enhanced security that it provides. We take a look at the core aspects of Android security system.
a. The Linux kernel: For ages, Linux has been popular as a secure operating system. When compared to other desktop operating systems such as Windows and Mac OS, the successful attacks on the core system is negligible. Since Android uses a modified version of the Linux kernel, the security benefits of Linux are inherited by the mobile OS as well.
b. The Linux file system is itself extremely secure, but a major concern is that the root user has access to everything on the system. While adopting the Linux file system, Android specifically restricted device users from gaining root access to system files. This is to ensure that third-party applications do not fool the device owner into granting them root privileges and then harm the core system.
c. Application sandbox: Android developers realized that since third-party apps would communicate with the kernel indirectly, there could be potential vulnerability issues. Therefore, all applications are made to work on an isolated environment called the sandbox. By default, the sandbox does not provide any specific permission to the app. Instead, the app needs to list down all the permissions it requires for smooth functioning, which is then granted based on the user's explicit approval during the installation process. This ensures that applications are not granted more permission than what it requires for its operations.
d. Google's approval process for listing apps: The Play Store is home to over 700,000 apps that have been developed by open-source developers across the world. However, each of these apps has been made public only after the application code and design have passed through stringent criteria for approving apps. The approval process automatically filters out the malicious apps which intend to pose security threats to the user's Android device. In fact, Google filters out thousands of malicious apps every day.
Like smartphones, the latest tablets running on Android provide enhanced security. Even the cheapest Android tablets are protected through basic security features.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelia_Z_Smithson
a. The Linux kernel: For ages, Linux has been popular as a secure operating system. When compared to other desktop operating systems such as Windows and Mac OS, the successful attacks on the core system is negligible. Since Android uses a modified version of the Linux kernel, the security benefits of Linux are inherited by the mobile OS as well.
b. The Linux file system is itself extremely secure, but a major concern is that the root user has access to everything on the system. While adopting the Linux file system, Android specifically restricted device users from gaining root access to system files. This is to ensure that third-party applications do not fool the device owner into granting them root privileges and then harm the core system.
c. Application sandbox: Android developers realized that since third-party apps would communicate with the kernel indirectly, there could be potential vulnerability issues. Therefore, all applications are made to work on an isolated environment called the sandbox. By default, the sandbox does not provide any specific permission to the app. Instead, the app needs to list down all the permissions it requires for smooth functioning, which is then granted based on the user's explicit approval during the installation process. This ensures that applications are not granted more permission than what it requires for its operations.
d. Google's approval process for listing apps: The Play Store is home to over 700,000 apps that have been developed by open-source developers across the world. However, each of these apps has been made public only after the application code and design have passed through stringent criteria for approving apps. The approval process automatically filters out the malicious apps which intend to pose security threats to the user's Android device. In fact, Google filters out thousands of malicious apps every day.
Like smartphones, the latest tablets running on Android provide enhanced security. Even the cheapest Android tablets are protected through basic security features.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelia_Z_Smithson
