The problem with open source is that developers can just place apps without being checked by the parent company.
Google is now having trouble with their Android due to a security loophole. This loophole gives apps access to photo libraries of users without their consent and copies them to a remote server.
This problem was first reported by New York Times. According to them, the inadequate security only requires permission to access the internet.
CTO of security software company Lookout Kevin Mahaffery said, “We can confirm that there is no special permission required of an app to read pictures. This is based on Lookout’s finding on all devices we’ve tested.”
What’s shocking about this is that Google is actually aware of this.
A spokesperson from the company told NYT, “We originally designed the Android photos file system similar to those of other computing platforms like Windows and Mac OS> at the time, images were stored on a SD card, making it easy for someone to remove the SD card from a phone and put it in a computer to view or transfer those images. As phone and tablets have evolved to rely more on built-in, non-removable memory, we’re taking another look at this and considering adding permission for apps to access images.”
So beware of the files you save on your phones. Someone might be able to copy them and post them in the Web.
