Qualcomm’s Android Chips Found to Be Un-secure, Leak Data to Hackers

It has come to notice recently that Qualcomm’s processor chips used in over 900 million smartphones worldwide may have compromised critical information to hackers. Financial transaction details, corporate information with the importance of the highest degree, important passwords and information of private nature may have been made accessible to hackers who preyed on these with glee.

According to Threatpost, researchers working for researchers working for an Israeli cyber security firm Checkpoint, have identified at least four flaws in the Qualcomm processor chips and have claimed that hackers and cyber criminals may have encouraged Android users to download a malicious app on their devices which could make it possible for these criminal minds to glean all the information they want from the device remotely. It is easy for any expert hacker to exploit this vulnerability and then gain root access to any Android device, which feel under the purview of the attack.

What Checkpoint said

A report published in FT said that Michael Shaulov, the head of products, mobile and cloud security at Checkpoint, has pointed out that attackers could have easily poured over vital information gleaned from What’sApp messages, email communication, or banking passwords that the unsuspecting victims may have entered.

Checkpoint presented its findings in the form of a research report at the cyber security conference Def Con. While interacting with the media at the sidelines of the event, Mr. Shaulov had made these observations. He also said that it is highly likely that the hackers have not only accessed but made backup copies of critical information they have gathered because of the security compromise.

Some of the devices whose security may have been compromised include Google Nexus 5X, 6 and 6P, Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, New Moto X from Motorola, Sony Xperia Z Ultra and HTC 10 and One M9 among others.

Checkpoint also said that it has communicated its findings to both Google, the maker of the Android mobile operating system and Qualcomm, the largest maker of chips for advanced mobile devices, enjoying a market share of over 65% in the 4G/LTE market in 2015 according to the same report published by FT. They have cited data from ABI Research when making the report.

What Google said

Google has however assured that three of the four flaws flagged have been taken care of in their security solutions for Android smartphones and anyone who has downloaded the recent version of the security update is safe from three. It has also said that it would include a solution for the fourth problem in its next security upgrade. Till such times, manufacturers and users of Android devices have been advised to use Qualcomm patches.

Qualcomm has assured that these problems can be fixed with their apps and Alex Gantman, a senior vice president on behalf of the company has thanked security researchers for their findings and cooperation.