The internecine warfare between Android and iOS continues to rage, leaving no one unscathed. This week brings another volley as researchers discovered a Major Flaw In Android Phones Would Let Hackers In With Just A Text.
Are you ready for some of the Macalope’s patented faux surprise? Well, too bad, because here it comes.
Ahem.
Surely this can’t be right. The Macalope distinctly remembers being told by The Huffington Post that Tim Cook’s talk about iOS’s security superiority was nothing but “inaccuracies” because Business Insider’s Jim Edwards said Google had “demolished” Cook’s case with an only slightly more nuanced response than “I know you are, but what am I?”
Seriously, this is a thing you can read on the Internet. No one knows why it’s a thing you can read on the Internet, but it is. And the government continues to do nothing about it. Please sign the online petition.
“This happens even before the sound that you’ve received a message has even occurred,” says Joshua Drake, security researcher with Zimperium and co-author of Android Hacker’s Handbook. “That’s what makes it so dangerous. [It] could be absolutely silent. You may not even see anything.”
The Macalope is not a “security expert”. He’s not into “hacking culture”. He doesn’t “know” the “difference” between a “man in the middle” attack and a “smurf” attack. He’s not “wearing” any pants or “taking” his medication. But he does know that that don’t sound so good.
None of this is to say that iOS and OS X are flawless ivory towers of security. First of all, who builds a tower out of ivory? Uncool, bro. Elephants are people, too. Second, they both have flaws and Apple historically hasn’t been the best about taking security seriously, although it’s gotten better. But Android’s flaws are compounded by the fact that users are much less likely to ever get vital security updates. It’s probably not representative of any kind of significant movement, but this is what’s driven at least one long-time user from the platform.
Google still has very little control over software updates, and Android users are basically at the mercy of their carriers and phone manufacturers when it comes to getting updates or new operating system versions. For example, it took Sony more than six months to push Android 5.0 Lollipop to its new line of Xperia Z phones, despite the fact that it had promised for a much shorter turnaround after Lollipop was released by Google.
Hey, you already bought the phone and signed the contract. What do they care? Who are they, your mother? The Macalope supposes you would prefer a little animated clown who would juggle over to the update and wink at you and install it himself. You’ll never learn to stand on your own two feet if you aren’t willing to code, compile and install your own security updates.
Here’s the bottom line:
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No, wait, that’s not the bottom line. That’s just a line. Possibly the thin line between love and hate. Hard to tell. These lines used to be labelled but the Macalope left them on the dash of his car and all the labels peeled off. Anyway, the horny one has a final point to make before getting to the bottom line.
It’s OK to recognize that Android is worse on security than iOS and still get an Android device. Because — surprise! — each platform has its own benefits and drawbacks. Shocking, right? Who knew that we didn’t live in a black-and-white world? Gary, was it you? Why didn’t you say anything? Sharing, Gary. That’s what it’s all about.
iOS really is more restrictive. Android provides more hardware choice. Most iOS apps are better designed. Android is a toxic hellstew of vulnerabilities, the iTunes Store back-end is a toxic hellstew of impossibly complicated tasks. We could do this all day. But that would be a crappy way to spend a day. The point is, if you’re supporting Android under the idea that it’s more secure, you’re simply wrong. The Macalope knows this drives open software proponents absolutely insane, but it’s true.
Pick the things that are important to you and go with the platform that better satisfies those requirements. But be honest. Much more for yourself than anything else.
Bottom line.
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