Google’s Pixel smartphone range widely markets security as one of its highlighted features. These are the first Android smartphones in the world to receive the latest features and security updates. However, a new report has troubling news for the owners of the Pixel devices, especially when it comes to security.
According to a report by WIRED, all the Pixel phones sold in the past few years have an app called Showcase. The pre-loaded app left open a troubling security hole in the Pixel smartphones. However, Google has now reportedly acknowledged the security issue. The company will soon remove the Showcase app from the Pixel phones.
Showcase is a system-level app that leaves a major security hole in Pixels
The report mentions that researchers from the mobile device security firm iVerify found this particular security vulnerability on the Pixels. The issue relates to a software package dubbed “Showcase.apk”. The pre-loaded app runs at the system level and is invisible to the users. The app was created by the enterprise software company Smith Micro for Verizon. It allowed putting Pixel phones into a retail store demo mode.
While Verizon is no longer using the Showcase app, it still is pre-loaded in “each Android release for Pixel”, as WIRED reports. The report suggests that the troubling software package has been present in every Pixel release since September 2017. The app exposes the Pixel devices to manipulation and takeover.
The Showcase app has deep system privileges. These include remote code execution and remote app installation. The deep privileges of the app could open the Pixel devices up to control by a malicious party. Furthermore, the app is designed to download a configuration file using an unencrypted HTTP web connection. This puts the Pixel phones in a lot more danger as it allows an attacker to take control of the entire victim device.
Google will remove the troubling Showcase app from Pixel devices
As per the report, iVerify disclosed its findings to Google at the start of May this year. So far, the search titan hasn’t released a fix for the security issue. However, a Google spokesperson told WIRED that Showcase “is no longer being used” by Verizon. Android will remove this software package from all supported Pixel products via a software update. There’s no tentative timeline for the update’s rollout, but it should arrive “in the coming weeks”.
The post Google to remove Showcase app from Pixels that left a security hole appeared first on Android Headlines.
0 Comments