NEW DELHI: Beware, over 900 million
Android devices are affected by 'high-risk'
Quadrooter
flaw warns security company Check Point software technologies.
Found in devices running
Qualcomm
processors, QuadRooter includes four vulnerabilities, any of which can be used by hackers to take control of an smartphone. "If exploited, QuadRooter vulnerabilities can give attackers complete control of devices and unrestricted access to sensitive personal and enterprise data on them. Access could also provide an attacker with capabilities such as keylogging, GPS tracking, and recording video and audio," says Check Point in a blog post.
Hackers can trigger any of these four vulnerabilities using a malicious app. "Such an app would require no special permissions to take advantage of these vulnerabilities, alleviating any suspicion users may have when installing," adds the post.
The blog notes that QuadRooter affects smartphone drivers which control communication between the various chipset components. Since the vulnerable drivers are pre-installed on devices at manufacturing level, it can only be fixed if the OEMs or carriers issue a software patch.
Check Point recommends users to download and install the latest Android updates as soon as they become available, avoid side-loading apk files, read app permission requests carefully while installing apps and more.
Some of the latest smartphones that are vulnerable to the QuadRooter are Samsung Galaxy S7,
Galaxy S7 Edge, OnePlus 3, Google Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, Nexus 6P, LG G4,
LG G5, LG V10, OnePlus One, OnePlus 2,
OnePlus 3 and more.
Earlier this year (in May), it was found that
several million Android smartphones running on Qualcomm processors are exposed to a glitch that can be exploited by hackers to gain access to the device.