Stagefright, the Android bug that affected millions, is finally fixed

Remember in July 2015 when news broke that 950 million Android phones were at risk of being hacked? The solution to the problem may now be here.

Stagefright, the bug that infected almost a billion phones through video text message, will be fixed with the new software update. The security firm Zimperium noted that 95% of Android phones were vulnerable to the malware if the compromised text message was opened. According to Google, there will be updates to the messenger system so that a preview for a video does not automatically play, which would stops a bug like this from reoccurring in the future.

So why did this bug take a month to fix? Unlike Apple and BlackBerry, which can fix security problems readily because they supply the closed source software used in their devices, Android is an open source software and must rely on Google or the phone manufacturers to update their devices. To make matters more difficult, some older phones running the Android software are no longer updated by the manufacturer. Similarly, companies also establish their own customized versions of Android, which takes time to repair after a security glitch.

“The very nature of Android is that manufacturers add their own software on top, so there have been delays in software roll-outs,” said Jack Parsons, editor of Android Magazine. “In the U.S., it's even worse because mobile carriers often add their own software too, adding another layer of bureaucracy holding up security fixes.”

Adrian Ludwig, a lead engineer for Google, explained that not all bugs are as bad as they sound and that Android has the necessary swatting skills. “Updates are truly a last resort. They should be neither the first nor the only step in a multi-layered stack of security technology,” he said. “I'm optimistic that advanced exploitation mitigation technology in Android will help us to move beyond the time when fast patching was the only solution available to secure devices.”

Google is taking the necessary measures to make Android more secure. So for all you Android users out there: You’re safe once the new patch is released.

Via BBC