HUGE Android Phone Security Flaw: What You Need To Know

Reason 7,565,236 to have an IPhone:

Android Phone Security Flaw Due To Hidden Bloatware

This is just nuts.  Here's the story from Forbes, Android Headlines, and PC Mag:

Since 2017, the Google Smart Phone known as Android Pixel has had hidden tracking that allows for privilege escalation.  That means that the data on your phone, everything, can be tracked.

It was later determined that this tracking is on all Android phones.

As if the tracking isn't bad enough, this security breach leaves Android owners open to what's known as man-in-the-middle attacks. This makes it easy for the guy in the middle to easily access and add malicious code or spyware to the phone.

The app is called Showcase.apk, and it was added to Verizon phones for demo purposes. It's impossible to remove this app because it's part of the firmware image.

I Verify says: " we don't have evidence this vulnerability is being actively exploited.The reason for the heightened concern is that the app is designed to retrieve a configuration file over unsecured HTTP… to execute system commands or modules that could open a backdoor, making it easy to compromise the device. Because the app is not itself malicious, just poorly built, most security technology may overlook it… and since the app is installed at the system level and part of the firmware image, it can not be uninstalled at the user level.”

How Do I Get Rid Of This Malicious App?

Google is removing the app with an update and won't be installing the app on future Android phones.

I couldn't find a definitive date for the Google update for your phone to remove this spyware.