The FBI is involved in a battle with Apple to unlock an iPhone terrorist San Bernardino. If an Android none of this was happening, as it is much easier cracking Android phones.
According to security experts, programmers and researchers, Android phones do not have difficulty being spied.
The main reason why there is this great difficulty of the FBI into the 5C iPhone shooter San Bernardino, Syed Farook, is due to Apple’s device that be encrypted by default.
But only a small fraction of Android devices are encrypted from the second use of zero. Without encryption, the police could extract data from your phone, even if he had an access code.
Android has encryption but few use
Google introduced encryption on Android in 2011, but left the option buried in the operating system settings at the mercy of the user account. Only later, in 2014, that is remembered to ask the user whether wanted or not your data to be encrypted during the boot process.
Although 97% of Android phones have encryption as an option, less than 35% of them requested this when the smartphone was activated for the first time. People know that there is, because of a few years now Apple has made a point of saying that your system brings natively. However, Android users are aware that they can also take advantage of the option is, they still do not want to have that extra layer of security.
A Google spokesman said that encryption is now required in all “high-performance devices” – as the Galaxy S7 – using the latest version of Android, Marshmallow. But only 1.2% of Android phones have this version, according to Google.
iPhone has encrypted data natively
In comparison, most Apple products are uniformly insurance: 94% of iPhones running iOS 8 or iOS 9, have all the data encrypted. Apple manufactures its devices, produces its software and keeps the operating system control on your phone.
If a person walks into a Best Buy store and go out with an iPhone , this is encrypted by default. If the person comes out with an Android phone, this is a phone far more vulnerable to surveillance.
He said Christopher Soghoian, the chief technologist at the American Civil Liberties Union.
according to comScore, there are the north American market, about 105 million Android smartphones assets, slightly more than the number of iPhones, which could bring some conclusions on the ease or difficulty of the work of the authorities.
Can Android be more secure?
on the one hand Android are more exposed because they are not in their most, encrypted by default, it is also true that are easier to customize, there are more applications of messages that can be installed with security code.
But not only, there is also the architecture that makes it a safer spot than iOS.
Google’s operating system is started only when the phone’s owner puts the access code. In the case of the iPhone, this is not so. The iPhone as soon as it receives power when it is plugged in or when turned on power button, it is fully started, all its functions are active getting just asking for access to their content via code or fingerprint.
But when it becomes a weakness
this is an important detail: when faced with a locked iPhone, the police can take you to a reliable Wi-Fi connection and potentially copy iPhone content to iCloud service from Apple’s servers, where researchers can then pass the data to fine comb (hypothetically).
But, and Android phones?
There’s a difference, Android phones do not back up to the cloud until they are unlocked. This detail is a point in favor of Android. Even if it is not a strong point in other cases, this turns out to be important.
The Law wants companies to create weaknesses
But even this system in Android may have its days numbered. Because if justice compel Apple to develop ways to circumvent your security system, these Google will also be affected.
there are several systems under fire of justice. A court order by a state judge in California ordered that Apple created a “cancer,” as he called him Tim Cook in a recent interview. The idea is that Apple develop a system to fight the security measures that protect your operating system.
For example, this court order wants to force Apple to turn off the blocking option for self-destruct code. On the iPhone, you can be active the option at the end of 10 attempts to guess wrong access code, the content is permanently destroyed. In the latest Android system, this limit is 30 attempts.
In addition to this limitation, is also concerned the limitation of trial time, which limits the time a new attempt after 3 wrong for 5 minutes, after 15 minutes … and many more.
If it was Android, who would have to ask for justice?
in the case of a request to manufacturers who use Android and since each one has different methods and applications, would be a complex task and probably difficult to success for justice, because this would have to be seen in each case. Justice would have to order the Samsung, LG, Sony, HTC, Huawei, Lenovo … and many others that operate in US soil and that can have the encrypted system.
Will this issue will have a peaceful resolution?
it will not be easy, will not be easy and there will hardly be a resolution in the coming years unless appear a certain detail that is unknown. As we saw in the interview with the CEO of Apple, creating a system to undo the iOS security measures would be creating a cancer. It would also be a resolution with implications for national security. It would also mess with all operating systems.
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