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Samsung to use KNOX to fix SwiftKey vulnerability

By Alan Friedman

Updated: Jun 17, 2015, 6:50 PM

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Samsung to use KNOX to fix SwiftKey vulnerability

The other day we told you about a serious vulnerability on Samsung Galaxy handsets that came with SwiftKey pre-installed. Over 600 million phones are believed to be at risk. The bad guys can use this opening to grab your GPS coordinates, access the camera and the microphone, install apps without your permission, intercept messages and calls, and steal locally-stored files.

SwiftKey, for those unaware, is a third-party QWERTY keyboard app. The vulnerability affects only those Samsung handsets that have the app pre-installed. Samsung says that it is going to use its KNOX secure sandbox to fix the problem. By using KNOX as the conduit for a fix, Samsung can prevent having to send out a firmware update that would have to wait for the carriers to test it.

"Samsung Knox has the capability to update the security policy of the phones, over-the-air, to invalidate any potential vulnerabilities caused by this issue. The security policy updates will begin rolling out in a few days"-Samsung

The bottom line is that thanks to KNOX, this vulnerability will be closed in days instead of weeks or months. And that should make Samsung Galaxy owners feel more secure overall.

source: PocketNow via AndroidGuys

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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.

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