June 03, 2022
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0Android 13 Is Presented. What’s New with the Security System?
Google unveiled Android 13 at the Google I/O Developer Conference.
Both new functions and features were added, as well as a comprehensive study of the software’s security system. From the presentation, it became clear that Google is trying to simplify the Android security system for both users and developers.
In this article, we have collected the most important things you need to know about the latest presentation and the updated Android 13.
Did you know that Android smartphones monitor users? Read more here.
What’s new in the Android 13?
The OS was presented during the Google I/O 2022 event. The operating system was revealed to have the internal name “Tiramisu” (version 12’s name is “Snow Cone”). A distinctive feature of the product is the adaptation of the Material You design concept for system elements and application icons.
The OS also received four color themes, a new media management widget, updated privacy settings, and additional tablet support.
In addition, the company announced support for spatial audio and Bluetooth Low Energy Audio data transmission standards.
During the presentation, a new contactless payment application, Google Wallet, was presented, which will replace Google Pay. Now, everyone can save bank cards, driver’s licenses, airline tickets, and other documents.
The OS also implemented the Panlingual function, which allows configuring a specific language for each application.
The operating system has added extended support for the stylus, so that when working with it the device will not react to accidental touches of the screen with your fingers.
What’s wrong with popular Android apps? Learn more here.
What’s new with Android security system?
The first thing you need to know is that Google Play Protect now scans about 125 billion apps a day on user devices. This is necessary to detect a security problem in advance.
In addition, it was stated that the Messages application blocks 1.5 billion spam messages per month. Such a measure is necessary to prevent phishing attacks and other forms of hacker attacks that are carried out daily on ordinary internet users.
Let’s add that for better security, Google also plans to add end-to-end encryption to group chats (previously this type of encryption was only in personal chats.)
Secondly, Android 13 seriously restricts the list of user data that downloaded applications can access.
For example, the operating system gives developers the ability to easily enable Google “Photo picker,” which allows users to select specific photos and videos to share with the app through the collector channel, rather than giving the app access to their full photo library.
Google relies on system access, which provides specific data to applications. So, Android 13 now requires applications to request permission to access user data by various categories.
Thirdly, as you know, Android has already restricted the access of applications to the clipboard and notified users when the application takes something from it.
However, Android 13 adds another layer of buffer protection, and after some time completely removes all data from it so that no one can copy the information stored there.
In addition, Android 13 reduces the ability of various applications to insist on location sharing, for example, turning on Wi-Fi.
How to clean your device after attacks? Find more here.
Conclusion
Despite the barrage of criticism after the presentation, Google is still working to reduce various vulnerabilities in the Android 13 security system. Although Google’s main goal is to bypass the iOS security system, such a development is not yet possible, even though Android has translated some parts of the codebase to the more secure Rust programming language.
In addition, the company has been working to make its application programming interfaces more secure and has started offering a new service called Google Play SDK Index, which will provide a higher degree of protection.
