A recently discovered computer bug known as “Stagefright” is being called one of the worst Android vulnerabilities ever discovered. The bug, which affects Android versions 2.2 and up, currently leaves 95% of Google Android phones open for a cyber-attack.
All a hacker needs to victimize a user is their phone number. Once they have that, the hacker can send a multimedia message called Stagefright to an affected phone. This allows them to steal the user’s data and hijack the device’s functions (such as camera and audio functions).
Your phone could be hacked while you sleep and you would never know. The bug is incredibly dangerous, as users do not even need to play the media message to be vulnerable. Even more disturbing is that hackers could remove the message after they have stolen information and the user would not even realize that they have been hacked!
To stay as safe as you can, make sure that your devices are up to date with the latest software. Contact your manufacturer to find out if your device has the updates needed and is patched appropriately. Give us a call if you have any questions about Stagefright or other cyber vulnerabilities.
We will be sending out more information about how you can keep your Android device secure as it develops.
