How Google FIXED Android's BROKEN Security

Android security was once described as a "toxic hellstew of vulnerabilities," where you'd never be as secure as your iPhone-owning friends. So is that still the case, and should you be worried about your Android phone not being 100% secure?

0:00 Intro
0:38 Brewing the Hellstew
4:04 Hindsight
5:06 Google Play Services
7:27 Security Scares + Fallout
11:56 Secure Today?
12:37 100 Percent Security

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Chernoby Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Hnapel
Tim Cook Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Austin Community College

[mehdimido]

we went from 'scared of malicious apps' to 'scared of governments spyware'

[ArthurZakaryan]

Completely agree. You can make the OS as secure as you'd like but if it requires a human to operate it and relies on their judgment in avoiding landmines then security problems will always occur.

[neur]

Yes, Google Play services has a lot of tentacles. Some of them seem unnecessary and seem to try to reverse the openness of Android. For example for FIDO2, which will be essential for the web security, the browser does rely on calls into closed source Google services. Which means you can't use it on an ungoogled phone. More and more control goes back to Google.

[parshakamarsh]

Really interesting video, I didn't realise how much Google had improved the background security of android devices

[sunewjenkuzo]

A big issue with security is user error plus most companies don't want to fork over the extra cash to be as secure as possible and most just don't see a huge need for it.

[MarkusMaal]

Nexus 7 1st Gen actually got the Lollipop 5.0 update pretty late compared to other Nexus devices. Being the owner of that tablet in 2013-2016, I was pretty pissed. But since it was a pretty popular tablet, I did get a chance to try Android L early thanks to custom ROMs.

[EdouardTavinor]

iOS has always had many times the critical vulnerabilities of android (just look at the CVEs)

[RichardRatner.]

Thanks Alex, always a pleasure to watch you on XDA these days. Kindest regards, Richard U.K

[mr.mastermind]

I wish android phones could get security updates more frequently. It has improved a lot though👍

[bandiddums]

When the Chernobyl sarcophagus was mentioned, my YouTube app crashed lol. I also didn't know how much the play services impact the security of even the most ancient of Android. It's definitely a big relief that I don't have to change my phone everytime a new Android gets released and it's not available for my current model

[giovannibucio]

i dont have problems with my S23Ultra but all my iphone friends say there phones slow down with apples updates.

[brianwalker]

My main gripe with android "security" is I am unable to do things like remove apps that came with my phone or manually update my OS after the manufacturer has decided it is done with it. At least without jumping through hoops to put it mildly. However some jackass in a basement somewhere can potentially gain complete control over my device by simply having my phone number!

[BradleyLarcher]

And to think that the so called "competition" is mad that phones come with Google play services, calling it anticompetitive, and the poor EU is siding with them unaware of the danger they're putting users in

[kindde]

Both Google and Samsung drop frequent security updates each year, which is a night and day difference from ten years ago.

[RafidW]

The fearmongering from apple over Android security vulnerability was always overblown.

[giraffefactory]

Its worth mentioning that "vanilla" Android before version 4 was barely usable. Only after they added a lot of features from vendors software it became any good

[NitikSharma]

this was awesome, more like this please!

[Austinredstoner]

If you flash custom ROM I'll fix all the issues depending on your phone and amount of updates you'll get before updates being discontinued.

[nivmhn]

Really informative video Alex. Look forward to more of the same.

[eivis]

I once heard a driving instructor say "the dumbest part of any vehicle is the biological mass behind the steering wheel". I can say the same thing about any devices security - the most insecure part of any device is the user. So unless you are Uncle Joseph or dadda Hitler it's best not to prioritize a lock down of a platform. God knows you're doing it for the wrong reasons.