Skip to main content

Android 10 Released : Everything You Wanted To Know About Latest Privacy & Security Updates

Android 10 Released : Everything You Wanted To Know About Latest Privacy & Security Updates

Android 10, the latest version of Google's operating system (OS), is now available. It will include a range of privacy & security improvements that should keep Android users a little safer.

Privacy & Security is a central focus of Android 10. So, Android 10 introduces major changes to protect users' privacy & security. These changes extend the transparency and give users control, with improved system UI, stricter permissions, Platform hardening, advanced encryption and restrictions on what data apps can use.

Android 10 also includes dark theme, live caption, Smart Reply, Gesture Navigation types of feature but in this post, I will be only talking about the latest Privacy & Security updates.

First of all, I am going to talk about the latest Privacy Updates included in Android 10. So, Let's begin.

Privacy Updates:-

1. Giving users more control over location data

One major privacy feature coming in Android 10 is the ability to control how apps access your location. So, Now users have more control over their location data through a new permission option. They can now allow an app to access location only while the app is actually in use (running in the foreground). The app will also have to ask directly if it needs background location access. Android 10 will also remind you that an app you do not use is accessing your location so you can stop it if you wish.

For most apps, this provides a sufficient level of access, while for users it's a big improvement in transparency and control.

Android 10 Released : Everything You Wanted To Know About Latest Privacy & Security Updates

2. Protecting location data in network scans

Most of the APIs for scanning networks already required rough location permission. Android 10 increases the protection around those APIs by requiring must location permission instead.

3. Preventing device tracking

With Android 10, apps can no longer access sensitive device information that could be used for tracking such as device IMEI and serial number. The device's MAC address is also randomized when connected to Wi-Fi networks by default.

4. Securing user data in external storage

Android 10 introduces a variety of changes to give users more control over files in external storage and the app data within them. Apps on a device can store their own files in their private sandboxes but must use MediaStore to access shared media files and use the system file picker to access shared files in the new Downloads collection. It means an app can't access other folders stored in your SD card. 

5. Blocking unwanted interruptions

Android 10 prevents app launches from the background state that unexpectedly jump into the foreground and take over focus form another app.

6. Comes with a new privacy section under the settings menu

This one is a more general update, but certainly, one worth knowing about. Google Android 10 is offering a new Privacy section under the Setting menu to give you more control and visibility about how your data is being used.

This will include controls such as Web And App Activity Setting, so you can go through easily and ensure you are comfortable with what you have enabled.

Android 10 Released : Everything You Wanted To Know About Latest Privacy & Security Updates

So, These are the latest Privacy updates included in Android 10.

Now, I am going to talk about the latest Security Updates included in Android 10. So, Let's begin.

Security Updates:-

1. Storage encryption

All compatible devices launching with Android 10 are required to encrypt user data, and to make this more efficient on the device using Google's new Adiantum encryption method. It'll ensure that hackers can't read into your devices.


Android 10 Released : Everything You Wanted To Know About Latest Privacy & Security Updates

2. TLS 1.3 by default

Android 1o enables TLS 1.3 by default, a major revision to the TLS standard with performance benefits and enhanced security. It is also 40% faster than TLS 1.2 due to an entire round trip being shaved off from the connection establishment handshake.


Android 10 Released : Everything You Wanted To Know About Latest Privacy & Security Updates

3. Platform hardening

Android 10 includes hardening for several security-critical areas of the platform and updates to the Biometric API with robust and secure support for face and fingerprint in both implicit and explicit authentication. Explicit authentication requires that the user authentication in some way before proceeding, while implicit does not need any more user interaction.


Android 10 Released : Everything You Wanted To Know About Latest Privacy & Security Updates

So, These are the latest Security Updates included in Android 10.

Android 10 is here and hopefully, the Privacy & Security updates that come with it will make a big difference to frustrated Android users. Probably the biggest benefit Android 10 gives you more control, and that's certainly something that has so far been missing.

Privacy & Security enhancements are always a work in progress. These latest improvements to Android 10 won't be the last, but they show that Google is listening to cybersecurity researchers and responding.

I hope you find useful information in this article. If you have any questions then please mention in the comments section and I will get back to you and stay tuned with my blog to learn interesting things related to cybersecurity and hacking.  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How To Check If a Link Is Safe To Click

Many times, we share links among our friends on social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. But do we know how safe they are? What can happen if you click on any malicious link? We never think of the following things : Links can drop various harmful programs, viruses on your device Links can steal your personal data by dropping spyware or keyloggers Use your browser for crypto mining which will affect your device's performance Even if your device is secured with antivirus, not all of them warn you before clicking such malicious links . And the moment you click on these, they will become big trouble for you. This can sometimes even be dangerous with regard to data security and identity theft. So, Be careful about what you click on. These days one of the quickest growing security issues is ransomware , which is often spread by the user unintentionally clicking dangerous links in emails, social media platforms, messengers, and other tool

How To Enable WhatsApp Fingerprint Lock Feature on Android

WhatsApp has officially rolled out the fingerprint lock feature for all the Android users. Most of you may already have been doing it for the last few years with the help of third-party app lockers for adding more security. Keeping that in mind and to make the process quicker and safer at the same time, WhatsApp has now launched this new fingerprint lock feature so that you can open the app by your fingerprint. It means that regardless of whether the phone is opened, others won't have the option to gain access to the messages without your fingerprint. So, you can now secure your WhatsApp conversations with an extra layer of biometric security . With this step, WhatsApp is finally offering biometric authentication to the Android app, while iPhone users enjoying both the Touch ID that is the fingerprint recognition and Face ID that is the facial recognition since the month of February 2019. WhatsApp is also giving more options with the new fingerprint lock featur

TikTok Secretly Sent Users Private Data & PII Number to Chinese Server Including Draft Videos

The popular Android and iOS short-videos creating app, TikTok hit with a lawsuit claims that the app illegally and secretly transfers app's users' private sensitive data and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) to Chinese servers. TikTok which is a 15-second short-video creating app especially popular among the younger generation and also downloaded over 1.3 Billion times worldwide . TikTok remains top in the most downloaded app list for months on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.  According to the lawsuit, Tiktok shared the user's created videos which include private acts and closeups of user's faces (biometric data) before the videos are saved on the app. TikTok provides many options includes the next button, close button, and button for effects to its users while recording the video. Here, the next button takes users to the screen that shows these two options : "post" and "save".  After clicking on the "next" button, Tik