When it comes to malicious attacks, it is safe to say that both Android and iOS are pretty secure. However, that does not stop Apple and Google from adding new features to ensure that the users are completely safe. For instance, Android has a Verified Boot feature that checks the firmware to see that it is from a trusted source, and now, the search engine giant is rolling out a new feature that will help Pixel users identify that their phone has not been hacked and is running the trusted version of the software.
Pixel Binary Transparency can help you figure out if your Pixel phone has been hacked, but you probably don't need to use this tool
Google is now rolling out the Pixel Binary Transparency feature. This is being done as a response to all the attacks that target the software supply change. For those who don't know, these attacks normally occur before the device even reaches the users, as they happen during the supply chain process.
The Pixel Binary Transparency generates a public cryptographic log of metadata for factory firmware images. Once you get your hands on the device, you can use the log to verify whether the software installed on your phone is actually legit or has been compromised in any way.
This is what Google has to say:
Pixel Binary Transparency responds to a new wave of attacks targeting the software supply chain—that is, attacks on software while in transit to users. These attacks are on the rise in recent years, likely in part because of the enormous impact they can have. In recent years, tens of thousands of software users from Fortune 500 companies to branches of the US government have been affected by supply chain attacks that targeted the systems that create software to install a backdoor into the code, allowing attackers to access and steal customer data.
Now, before you get excited and start checking out all the Pixel phones you have access to, Google has commented on how most users are not going to need the latest feature. Why? Well, you already have access to Android Verified Boot which actually checks the firmware to see whether it is original or not. If you still want to check, however, you can head over here, and you are going to need ADB installed before you use this feature.
Honestly, I don't see myself using this feature for a number of reasons. For starters, I don't have a Pixel phone, and secondly, the Android Verified Boot feature works wonders, and I don't think anyone really needs to worry about these issues coming up.
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