Latest news with #AdvancedProtection
Android Authority
06-08-2025
- Android Authority
This new Android security feature could interfere with fast charging, and here's why
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR Android 16's upcoming USB Protection feature enhances security by defaulting new USB connections to charging-only when the device is locked. This security measure may interfere with fast charging, as many protocols require data negotiation between the phone and the charger to work. If your phone isn't fast charging, a simple workaround is to unlock the device and then reconnect the USB cable. Of all the new features in Android 16, Advanced Protection is one of the most important. It's a powerful toggle that activates numerous security features across the operating system and in compatible apps, shielding high-risk users from intrusions and sensitive data leaks. With a single tap, it enables over a dozen features, with more planned for future updates. Later this year, Advanced Protection will add a feature called USB Protection, designed to guard against malicious USB devices. There's one caveat, though: It may not work correctly with your phone's fast charging capabilities. Fortunately, there's a simple workaround. According to Google, the USB Protection feature 'prevent[s] physical attacks attempting to exploit the USB port by defaulting to charging only for any new USB connection while the device is locked.' By disabling data access at a hardware level, this feature stops USB-based attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in the device's USB stack or attempt to brute-force the lock screen. Once the user unlocks their device, USB data access is restored, allowing them to use any peripheral. If you plug in a USB device while your phone is locked, however, you'll have to unlock it and then reconnect the peripheral to get it working. We already knew this would be the case when we reported on the feature earlier this year. What we didn't know at the time, though, was that this behavior would also affect fast charging, at least in some cases. In the latest Android Canary release, we noticed that Google has enabled the USB Protection feature and also tweaked its implementation. For instance, the notification that appears when you plug in a USB device while your phone is locked has been reworded and now includes a 'silence' button to snooze it until you restart. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority While digging through the build for other changes, we spotted new text strings that explicitly state you may need to unlock and reconnect your device for fast charging: Code Copy Text Unlock device for fast charging and data transferring You may need to unlock and reconnect your device for fast charging and data transferring Unlock device for fast charging You may need to unlock and reconnect your device for fast charging While it's not entirely clear why this happens, it could be a consequence of how fast charging protocols like USB Power Delivery work. To prevent damage, these protocols require a data-based negotiation between the charger and your phone to determine the correct voltage to use. USB-PD uses two dedicated lines called configuration channels for this process. Although these lines aren't used for general data signaling, Advanced Protection might still disable them out of an abundance of caution. When I tested this on my Pixel 8 Pro, however, I didn't notice any difference in charging speed when I plugged it in while locked versus unlocked. I got the same speeds from several USB-PD chargers in both scenarios, and I never saw a warning about needing to replug my device. This could be because USB-PD isn't affected or because the fast charging warning simply isn't implemented yet. It's possible this issue only affects proprietary fast charging protocols that use traditional USB data lines, but it's too early to say for sure. In any case, it's clear that Advanced Protection's new USB Protection feature will affect fast charging in some situations. The good news is that the workaround is simple: If you see the warning, just unlock your device and reconnect the charger. Since this feature is live in the latest Canary release, it will likely debut in Android 16's second quarterly platform release (QPR2). That release is scheduled for December, which lines up with Google's promise to add USB Protection to the Advanced Protection suite later this year. Follow
Forbes
09-07-2025
- Forbes
Google Confirms New Hacker Protection For 3 Billion Android Users
Google confirms advanced protection against Android hackers. NurPhoto via Getty Images Google security updates are not exactly in short supply: Chrome browser vulnerabilities, Google Messages sender verification, and, of course, new Gmail features all vying for your attention. Sometimes, however, there's a danger of drowning in updates which leads to the most important of them potentially going unnoticed. Google has just published a posting to ensure that doesn't happen with the latest protections for Android users against hack attacks. And quite rightly so, as it's not easy protecting more than 3 billion users, with multiple risk profiles across that user base, from hackers. As Google said, 'Less sophisticated attacks by commodity malware can be very lucrative for attackers when done at scale, but so can sophisticated attacks on targeted users.' Let me, or rather Google, introduce you to Advanced Protection that does exactly what it says on the tin, allowing you to tailor your security protections to fit your personal risk profiles. Forbes Billions Of Gmail And Outlook Users At Risk — Change Your Password Now By Davey Winder You might be forgiven for thinking that the only threat you need to worry about as an Android smartphone user is the SMS one, as attacks surge and hackers employ new mobile SMS Blaster hardware weaponry. You would, however, be very wrong indeed. Smartphone hackers have a diverse array of attacks to choose from, each targeting a different victim group and employing a different methodology. Some of the more commonly used have been picked up upon by David Adrian, Javier Castro and Peter Kotwicz from the Google Chrome Security Team in a July 8 posting. Advanced Protection acts as an extension to Google's existing Advanced Protection Program, by providing a device-level security setting for those Android users most at risk. Think of it as being a 'single control point for at-risk users on Android that enables important security settings across applications,' Google said. This integrates with Chrome on Android, the trio of security experts explained, in three specific ways: By enabling the always use secure connections setting to protect users from hackers injecting malicious content or reading data. By enabling full site isolation, as long as your Android device has at least 4GB of RAM, to prevent the loading of malicious sites in the same process as legitimate websites. By reducing the attack surface through the disabling of JavaScript optimizations. 'We additionally recommend at-risk users join the Advanced Protection Program with their Google accounts,' the Google Chrome security team said, 'which will require the account to use phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication methods and enable Advanced Protection on any of the user's Android devices.' Advanced Protection is available on Google Android 16 in Chrome version 137 and later. Forbes FBI 2FA Bypass Warning Issued — The Attacks Have Started By Davey Winder
Android Authority
01-07-2025
- Android Authority
Your Samsung phone will get Android 16's powerful Advanced Protection mode in One UI 8
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Samsung's One UI 8 update will introduce a new 'Advanced Protection' mode, a one-click toggle to easily enable multiple security features at once. This optional mode activates various safeguards, such as blocking app sideloading, preventing USB data access, and disabling 2G network connections. The feature is part of Android 16 and expands on Google's Advanced Protection Program, making high-level security accessible to all users. Samsung phones offer a robust suite of security features, from powerful, built-in protections like Samsung Knox to optional anti-theft settings you have to turn on manually. Locating and enabling all these security toggles can be a challenge, but the next big One UI update introduces a more user-friendly way to bolster your device's security. The One UI 8 update will introduce an optional Advanced Protection security mode, a one-click toggle that activates a variety of system and app-level security features. For example, it enables sideloading protection, USB data protection, and 2G network protection. While Advanced Protection is designed for high-risk users who may be targeted by sophisticated attackers, it's available to anyone who wants to better safeguard their data. To turn on Advanced Protection, follow these steps on your Samsung phone running One UI 8: Open Settings and select Google Tap the All services tab Scroll down to the Personal & device safety category and open Advanced Protection Toggle 'Device protection' Tap Turn on Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority This new mode is part of Android 16 and builds on Google's Advanced Protection Program, which provides additional safeguards against unauthorized account access for high-risk users. Currently, Advanced Protection only toggles the features listed on its page and doesn't control any of Samsung's custom security settings. However, that could change if Samsung integrates the Advanced Protection API, which allows third-party apps and services to check if the mode is active and enable their own security measures. For a more detailed breakdown of what Advanced Protection does and whether you should enable it, check out this article. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Forbes
28-06-2025
- Forbes
Samsung's Next Android Upgrade—‘Better' Than Google's Pixel
Bigger and better — Samsung is coming for Pixel. NurPhoto via Getty Images There's a new twist to the Android versus iPhone narrative. The gap between the two has never been as narrow – at least where security is concerned. And Google's latest Android 16 upgrade brings a level of network security even iPhone can't match. But the real Android 16 game-changer is Google's new Advanced Protection Mode. Despite some reports, this is not the same as Apple's Lockdown Mode for iPhone. I would recommend Android's new setting for almost all users. Per SammyFans , 'Android 16's Advanced Protection is a big deal, probably the biggest security update Android has ever seen… Samsung isn't just going to copy-paste Google's security features. It's going to make them better with Galaxy-specific improvements." First to the basics — what exactly is Advanced Protection Mode. Put simply, it's a one click security update that enables all the existing protections you should be using and a few news ones that Google has included in its Android 16 release. Forbes Do Not Use These Networks On Your Smartphone, Warns Google By Zak Doffman It will protect your browsing and wireless connections, it will also stop you installing apps from dangerous sources. That means Play Store and other official sites only, which might seem restrictive and painful but is a necessary defense these days. As Android Authority says, 'from harmful apps to insecure connections, there are all kinds of risks you're exposed to. Thankfully, Android features a range of security settings to keep your device and data protected from these threats." Unlike Apple's Lockdown Mode, Google's setting won't make your phone difficult to use or remove everyday features you likely use. It will curtail risky behavior, as it should. Apple says Lockdown Mode is for a very small minority of users, where Google says Advanced Protection Mode is for any users who want additional phone security. As for the Galaxy One UI 8 features that are 'better' than Android's stock offering on Pixel, SammyFans highlights the new secure folder upgrade and Knox architecture. Secure Folder has triggered a bunch of warnings given some issues in how it was deployed, those have been addressed. It also offers a new 'kill switch' which means you can lock down your phone and hide sensnsive apps and data wirth just a tap. The Knox architecture is Samsung's answer to Apple's hugely successful trusted device architecture that builds a walled garden around a user's devices. Not only does it reinforce protection against external threats, it also makes Samsung stickier for users. Only its own devices can be protected, and the more you have the safer you are. Forbes Google's Unbeatable Pixel Upgrade Just Left iPhone Behind By Zak Doffman The bad news — as ever — for Galaxy users is that 'Google is rolling out Advanced Protection to Pixel phones first. Galaxy phones should get Android 16 and One UI 8 in the next few months.' It's worth the wait, which should be shorter than that for most. Per Phone Arena's interpretation of firmware builds on company servers, 'Samsung isn't focusing only on its flagship lineup when it comes to rolling out One UI 8.0. The company is already testing Android 16 firmware for the Galaxy A56, suggesting this mid-range phone may be among the first non-flagships to receive the update.' SammyFans says 'Android 16's security overhaul shows that mobile security is finally growing up. One UI 8 will probably show off how Samsung can take Google's security foundation and make it even better with its own innovations. This could set new standards for how secure smartphones should be.'
Android Authority
27-06-2025
- Android Authority
If you're using Android 16, you should turn on this important security feature ASAP
Joe Maring / Android Authority It's been just about two weeks since Google launched Android 16, and for the most part, it's an update that came and went without too much fanfare. I've been playing around with Android 16 on my Pixel 9a since the update was released, but it wasn't until a few days ago that I finally enabled Advanced Protection — a new security feature tucked away in the Settings app. Advanced Protection enables a load of robust security features for your phone with the flick of a switch, including safeguards for your phone's web browsing, network connection, and more. Having now used Advanced Protection myself, I'm convinced that anyone with a phone running Android 16 needs to enable it. If you have Android 16, are you using Advanced Protection? 0 votes Yes NaN % No NaN % Why Advanced Protection is so good Joe Maring / Android Authority Right off the bat, Advanced Protection is designed to be incredibly easy to use. In fact, there's really not much for you to interact with outside of turning the feature on. Once Advanced Protection is enabled, numerous security measures for device hardware safety, apps, networks, web browsing, and phone calls are immediately activated. The full list of security measures, as explained in Android 16, is as follows: Theft Detection Lock : Locks automatically when motion indicates theft. : Locks automatically when motion indicates theft. Offline Device Lock : Locks automatically when your device is offline. : Locks automatically when your device is offline. Inactivity reboot : Restarts device if it remains locked for 3 days. : Restarts device if it remains locked for 3 days. Google Play Protect : Scans for unsafe apps and malware. : Scans for unsafe apps and malware. Unknown apps : Blocks installation of apps from unknown sources. : Blocks installation of apps from unknown sources. Memory tagging extension : Protects against memory corruption in supported apps. : Protects against memory corruption in supported apps. 2G network protection : Avoids 2G networks, which are less secure. : Avoids 2G networks, which are less secure. Android Safe Browsing : Live threat protection blocks harmful web pages. : Live threat protection blocks harmful web pages. Chrome browsing : Warns you before you visit non-HTTPS sites. : Warns you before you visit non-HTTPS sites. JavaScript protections : Turns off some advanced capabilities to reduce risk. : Turns off some advanced capabilities to reduce risk. Caller ID & spam : Identifies business and spam numbers. : Identifies business and spam numbers. Automatic Call Screen: Screens suspicious calls & declines spam. As you can probably tell from skimming that list, none of these things are actually new to Android. However, instead of having to configure everything here individually and manually, it's all set up for you the second you turn on Advanced Protection. Some features, like Google Play Protect and Automatic Call Screen, I already had enabled on my Pixel 9a. However, I was slightly apprehensive that some of the more advanced settings, particularly those related to web browsing, would be noticeable (and annoying) in daily use. As it turns out, I haven't noticed them at all. In fact, after about a week with Advanced Protection enabled, I don't notice any difference with my Pixel 9a compared to when the feature was turned off. That means there's not too much to say about what it's like using an Android phone with Advanced Protection, because it ultimately doesn't feel any different from an Android phone without it. For a feature like this, that's just about the highest praise I can give Advanced Protection. All of my apps work the same, my web browsing is no different, and my mobile data hasn't gotten worse either. Quite literally, everything about my phone is the same today as before I enabled Advanced Protection. Given all of that, I don't see any reason not to use the feature. Even if you aren't a security or privacy nut, it takes all of two seconds to activate Advanced Protection to better safeguard your phone without any impact on how you use it day-to-day. How to turn on Advanced Protection in Android 16 Joe Maring / Android Authority If I've convinced you to enable Advanced Protection on your Android 16 device, the good news is that finding and turning on the feature is dead simple. To do so, simply do the following: Open the Settings app on your Android 16 device. on your Android 16 device. Tap Security & privacy . . Scroll down the page and tap Advanced Protection . . Tap the toggle next to Device protection . . Tap Turn on on the pop-up that appears. on the pop-up that appears. Tap Restart to restart your device to fully activate Advanced Protection. And that's it! Once you restart your phone (either immediately or later on), Advanced Protection is up and running in the background and using all of the tools mentioned above to keep your phone safer. Advanced Protection isn't a particularly exciting feature. It doesn't give you anything new to play with and doesn't make your phone look or feel any different. But it's such a quick and easy way to enable essential safety features that anyone can benefit from, and as such, I think it's a must-have for anyone with Android 16.
