Security implications of Android
Hassen Saı̈di · 2011
Smartphones blur the boundaries between the traditional feature phone and a general purpose computer such as a laptop. The Android OS, from Google, was created to be an open alternative to fully closed platforms such as Apple's iOS or Microsoft's Windows Phone OS. However, upon closer inspection, there are closed elements in the Android OS platform. First, there are closed portions to Google's Android code (e.g., manufacturer drivers). Second, users are closed off from accessing and modifying core elements of the OS such as the kernel and system daemons through both software and policy controls. These controls are enacted by Google, cellular carriers, and smartphone manufactures.