Researchers discover family of Android apps that can force root access, some of these apps are on the Play Store

[Qub3d]

http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/06/godless-apps-some-found-in-google-play-root-90-of-android-phones/

 

As a huge proponent of rooting one's phone, I also recognize the dangers root access can represent. Thankfully, rooting is convoluted enough that most of our non tech-savvy family and friends simply won't do it, keeping themselves safe from accidental bricks and unfriendly instructions.

 

The fact that some apps available from Google Play can just straight-up force root access is scary, even if it is theoretically for useful features. While I'm sure the AOSP team will patch these exploits very quickly, the ecosystem fragmentation means that people will be open to yet another attack for years to come. 

 

 

One Ars commenter put it succinctly: "Android is a big Petri dish. Surprise! It's mouldy."

[ahkenatan]

Whenever I see stuff like this, it really puts me off from switching back to Android -- I'm on iPhone right now. I used to have an Android and I'd root it and play around with different ROMs and kernels and that was fun, but any time anything about phones being unsafe or insecure comes out it seems like it's always about Android I really wish it wasn't.

[Beskamir]

Okay, but does this include apps which are intentionally used by the user to root their device or is this statistic just based on apps which pretend to be something else and maliciously force root without user permission?

[Rune]

K. So don't download the app. Problem solved.