Google has announced a host of privacy and security features on Android, including a set of advanced security features to help protect users’ devices and data in the event of theft.
What are Google’s moves to protect users from both data and device theft
These features aim to help protect data before, during and after a theft attempt, the tech giant said, adding that they are expected to be available via a Google Play services update for devices running Android versions 10 and above.
A new feature is Private Space, which allows users to host their sensitive apps in a dedicated area in their phones so that can be hidden and locked with a separate PIN.
Google is also adding an extra layer of protection by requiring users to enter their PIN, password or biometric information before changing sensitive device settings like turning off Find my device or extend screen timeout, or even to access critical account and device settings.
Smartphone thieves won’t have an easy life
This includes attempts to change your device PIN, disable theft protection, or access your passkey; another notable addition is a factory reset update that effectively renders a stolen device unusable.
“With this update, if a thief forces a reset of your stolen device, they can’t set it up again without knowing your device or Google account credentials“, has said Suzanne Frey, Google’s vice president of Trust & Growth product. “This makes a stolen device unsellable, reducing the incentive for phone theft“.
Another real-time protection via Google Play Store
The tech giant also said it integrates an AI-powered feature that can recognize suspicious signals (for example, sudden movements) and proactively protect user data by automatically locking the device screen when it detects that a phone has been knocked out of someone’s hands and the attacker tries to escape or drive away.
Also arriving on Android 10+ devices is an Offline Device Lock that blocks the device screen if a malicious criminal (not necessarily a cyber criminal, given that we are also talking about physical thefts) Try unplugging your phone for long periods of time.
But other new features are coming for the robot’s mobile operating system
Other improvements include the ability to mark a device as lost to facilitate tracking via Find my device and even remotely lock a phone screen with a phone number and security challenge using any device.
“This gives you time to recover your account details and access additional useful options in Find My Device, including sending a full factory reset command to completely wipe the device“Frey said.
The big problem of Android, technical explanation of this choice by Google
Google had to make this choice by acting on the Play Store because in fact only the various manufacturers (Samsung, Asus, Oppo, etc.) can act directly on the operating system, therefore this new functionality must be integrated into its store.
It is true that the Play Store represents the only direct update channel managed by Google for Android devices; However, the fragmented nature of the operating system means that complete control over updates often lies in the hands of individual device manufacturersas just said.
Therefore, Google relies on the Play Store as its primary means of implementing its security and privacy features, especially on devices running the latest versions of Android such as Android 10 and above; this strategy allows Google to reach a wide range of devicesbut there remains a significant dependency on manufacturer cooperation to ensure that such updates are actually rolled out to all Android devices.
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