Android security flaw

[pr_capone]

Figure there are Android phone users out there that don't visit the Media Center that might be affected by this which is why this is in the Lounge. I have added the QR code below that will link you directly to the test site (in case you aren't reading from your mobile).

SCAN:


OR CLICK:
http://www.isk.kth.se/~rbbo/testussd.html

http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/articl...security_flaw/

A security flaw has been discovered on various Android smartphones that allows a USSD code to perform a factory reset without any confirmation prompt. Is your Android phone at risk? Here's how to find out.

The USSD flaw was highlighted overnight at a Security Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina by Ravi Borganokar, a researcher in the telecommunications department at the Technical University of Berlin. It was first said to occur only on various Samsung smartphones running the TouchWIZ UI overlay, but it has since been discovered that the problem can affect various other Android phones, too.

The USSD codes themselves aren't a problem, but on some Android phones these can be executed without a confirmation prompt. Some of these codes, typed into the phones keypad, are harmless (such as the one used to display a phone's IMEI number) but other codes can factory reset the phone. USSD codes typically start with an asterisk (*) followed by numbers and almost always end with a hash (#).

On Android phones that don't require a confirmation prompt, a factory reset USSD code can be dialled automatically by the phone. While it's almost impossible to dial the code into the dialler accidentally, this code could be embedded into a URL link, a QR code, or an SMS by a hacker. This would mean you phone would be factory reset as soon as you opened the malicious link.

To check if your Android phone is vulnerable, follow these steps:

1. Visit this link through your phone's Web browser. Don't worry, it's a test page so it's not going to reset your phone!

2. If your phone's dialler pops up and shows a number, your phone isn't affected and there's no need to worry. This is shown below on a Sony Xperia go:



However, if your phones dialler pops up and immediately displays a pop up menu with your IMEI number, your phone is vulnerable to this security flaw. This is displayed below on a Samsung Galaxy S III:



To fix this security flaw until your carrier or manufacturer issues a patch for the problem, you can download an app called TelStop. You can find it in the Google Play Store here.

[vailpass]

Great PSA Capone, probably saved some people some trouble.
I'm rooted. Don't care.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

Apple's quality has already decreased since Jobs died. And the future of Apple looks pretty shitty at the moment. I've not been happy with much they've done over the last year or more. And what is known about their future plans looks really awful. I'm afraid Apple is not going to be more accessible in the future. I expect quite the opposite.

Apple has completely abandoned the enterprise usage of their products. They no longer care about the enterprise environment at all(**** corporate!). Several people high up on the Apple corporate ladder have told me that directly. Their focus is now on the hipster experience using thin shiny gadgets, and the interconnectivity of Apple devices.

I was simply trying to point out the difference in attitude toward Apple flaws and Android flaws. Android flaws are discovered, and users are saying "Yeah, my phone was compromised, but meh... I'd only lose this and this and this..." But when Apple flaws are discovered, there's a platoon of Apple haters that instantly jump on board to laugh and point fingers at stupid Apple users. Lots of examples of this... I just find it fascinating that there's such a stark contrast between support of the two.

There can be no question that when it comes to Apple you know your shit front, back, and sideways. Props.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

People just enjoy trying to bring down the "Top Dog" a notch.


See Microsoft, Wal Mart, etc.......

.

I don't feel this way at all.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yup. My complaints against Apple are philosophical rather than tangible. I won't buy an Apple product because I feel that the world would be a better place if they worked with the tech community more and stopped suing everyone for stupid shit. I couldn't care less if someone enjoys their stuff and wants to use it, though.

This, exactly.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Apple had a deliberate marketing campaign in the 90's trying to paint the picture that their users are smarter and more hip than PC users.

They are still trying to paint this picture.

Have you seen the latest ad about their screen size. 'Common sense'?

[Fish]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Apple certainly had A LOT to do with building that type of mentality in the first place.

Apple had a deliberate marketing campaign in the 90's trying to paint the picture that their users are smarter and more hip than PC users.

Very few companies don't do that kind of thing. It's just marketing technique. Go watch a Mercedes Benz commercial. Per Mercedes Benz, every one of their drivers are sophisticated executives who need 300+ horsepower to drive to Starbucks. I don't see Mercedes haters in every single car thread though.

I couldn't give two shits how most of the products I use are marketed to the masses. That doesn't affect my personal user experience at all. But evidently, it bothers people who are "Anti-Apple"...

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

Very few companies don't do that kind of thing. It's just marketing technique. Go watch a Mercedes Benz commercial. Per Mercedes Benz, every one of their drivers are sophisticated executives who need 300+ horsepower to drive to Starbucks. I don't see Mercedes haters in every single car thread though.

I couldn't give two shits how most of the products I use are marketed to the masses. That doesn't affect my personal user experience at all. But evidently, it bothers people who are "Anti-Apple"...

Mercedes NEVER made commercials flat out making fun of the competition...not just the competition but the competition's CONSUMERS, who might have potentially been Apple consumers at some point.

It's not that Apple makes "Apple is the best" commercials. It's that Apple makes "PCs are the worst" commercials. VERY few other companies do that. Hence my statement that Apple had a LARGE hand in making people "anti-Apple" in the first place.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Mercedes NEVER made commercials flat out making fun of the competition...not just the competition but the competition's CONSUMERS, who might have potentially been Apple consumers at some point.

It's not that Apple makes "Apple is the best" commercials. It's that Apple makes "PCs are the worst" commercials. VERY few other companies do that. Period.

That's probably also why there's so much vitrol amongst a lot of tech types (and therefore, message board users). Apple's commercials basically said that their products were for the cool kids, so all the nerds went elsewhere.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Mercedes NEVER made commercials flat out making fun of the competition...not just the competition but the competition's CONSUMERS, who might have potentially been Apple consumers at some point.

It's not that Apple makes "Apple is the best" commercials. It's that Apple makes "PCs are the worst" commercials. VERY few other companies do that. Hence my statement that Apple had a LARGE hand in making people "anti-Apple" in the first place.

Really?

Well what about this? It's a Mercedes commercial that depicts Ferdinand Piëch, the former owner of Audi and VW, as the grim reaper, and the driver dryly saying "Sorry" when his Mercedes brakes don't kill him like the owner of the competition wants...

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

Really?

Well what about this? It's a Mercedes commercial that depicts Ferdinand Piëch, the former owner of Audi and VW, as the grim reaper, and the driver dryly saying "Sorry" when his Mercedes brakes don't kill him like the owner of the competition wants...

LOL

I've never seen that, and most people wouldn't pick up on the play against Volkswagon/Audi.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

Really?

Well what about this? It's a Mercedes commercial that depicts Ferdinand Piëch, the former owner of Audi and VW, as the grim reaper, and the driver dryly saying "Sorry" when his Mercedes brakes don't kill him like the owner of the competition wants...

I'm glad you explained that, because otherwise I never would've gotten the reference and thought it was simply about Mercedes safety helping you cheat death.

I can't believe that was anything more than an in-joke, as so few consumers would know who Piech is/was. Unless that was a European commercial, and Piech is well known in Europe.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

I'm glad you explained that, because otherwise I never would've gotten the reference and thought it was simply about Mercedes safety helping you cheat death.

No, I'm pretty sure that's the point...

[mikeyis4dcats.]

RAZR MAxx is fine

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

Really?

Well what about this? It's a Mercedes commercial that depicts Ferdinand Piëch, the former owner of Audi and VW, as the grim reaper, and the driver dryly saying "Sorry" when his Mercedes brakes don't kill him like the owner of the competition wants...

Well, that's the first time I've ever seen that, but I guess I've been proven wrong. Shame on Mercedes Benz.

It certainly didn't receive NEARLY as much air time as this:

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

I'm glad you explained that, because otherwise I never would've gotten the reference and thought it was simply about Mercedes safety helping you cheat death.

I can't believe that was anything more than an in-joke, as so few consumers would know who Piech is/was. Unless that was a European commercial, and Piech is well known in Europe.

This.