Android architecture: attacking the weak points
Steve Mansfield-Devine · Network Security · 2012
It may not just be its popularity that has made Android a target for attackers and cyber-criminals. It's arguable that the very nature of the platform lends itself to manipulation and subversion. There are technical issues and there are problems with the ecosystem. Much of this stems from Google's desire to create a platform without rigid controls, which is attractive to many developers, app vendors and users. But that openness has also introduced weak points that are being exploited. In this second article in our series of three on Android security, Steve Mansfield-Devine looks more closely at the platform. It may not just be its popularity that has made Android a target for attackers and cyber-criminals. It's arguable that the very nature of the platform lends itself to manipulation and subversion. There are purely technical issues, such as the way communications between apps are handled. And there are problems with the ecosystem — not least how the OS gets updated and potential issues in the future with advertising.