It seems that your smartphone might be an missed vulnerability that places you prone to being tracked. To fight this, Google is rolling out a brand new safety function in Android 16 that can warn customers if their system is utilizing a pretend or insecure cell community or if that community requests figuring out details about a linked system.
Nevertheless, these options probably will not be obtainable till the following technology of Android gadgets, as first reported by Android Authority. For the reason that present Android gadgets lack the {hardware} to assist these options, the primary appropriate Android system we might see with this tech often is the Pixel 10 that is anticipated to debut later this summer time.
This function is designed to counteract cell website simulators, or gadgets that act like a cell tower and trick close by gadgets into connecting to it. As soon as linked, these simulators can glean delicate info, like the situation of a smartphone. These cell website simulators are higher recognized by their business nickname, Stingray, and have been reportedly used by businesses like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in addition to Customs and Border Safety.
The upcoming security measures are rolling out as a part of the newest Android OS replace, which was launched earlier this month. Appropriate gadgets may have the choice to toggle “community notifications” on or off, which is able to warn you in case your system connects to an unencrypted community or when the linked community requests your telephone’s distinctive identifiers. On prime of that, there’s another choice that permits you to activate “2G community safety” to keep away from the much less safe cell community sort.
