Wi-Fi software security bug could leave Android, Windows, Linux open to attack (Ars Technica) [LWN.net]

Wi-Fi software security bug could leave Android, Windows, Linux open to attack (Ars Technica)

Posted Apr 24, 2015 13:23 UTC (Fri) by ccchips (subscriber, #3222)
Parent article: Wi-Fi software security bug could leave Android, Windows, Linux open to attack (Ars Technica)

Android!

This is one of the reasons I don't like Android. If you want to have a tablet that runs Android and you are looking for something low-cost, you aren't going to get security updates. This is because your Android comes from the manufacturer of the tablet, not from Google. I am very disappointed in this. For many, many years, I have expected to have access to security updates on the desktops I use, no matter if I'm running Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, or whatever.

I wonder if this issue will ever be addressed, considering that a great many Android tablets can't be re-loaded with a different operating system as easily as desktops can? I keep hoping for that capability to become ubiquitous, but that hope seems to be in vain.

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Wi-Fi software security bug could leave Android, Windows, Linux open to attack (Ars Technica)

Posted Apr 24, 2015 13:38 UTC (Fri) by dps (guest, #5725) [Link] (3 responses)

While it is more difficult to upgrade android, and even load custom firmware, it *can* be done if you root your device. Several things in google's android store actually require a rooted devices and so is some of the source code. Upgrading just wpa_supplicant should be eminently possible.

If a similar bug appeared on an i* device without a known root exploit you are at apple's mercy. I doubt windows phone support fixes from anybody except M$ but one might hope for more holes than iOS.

Wi-Fi software security bug could leave Android, Windows, Linux open to attack (Ars Technica)

Posted Apr 25, 2015 2:42 UTC (Sat) by NightMonkey (subscriber, #23051) [Link] (2 responses)

Yes, rooting is a way to *technically* solve some of these issues, but the fact that many (most?) sellers from whom you lease/purchase your phone will not honor warranties if they find your device has been rooted shows how committed to security updates the Android phone resellers are (and Google, for allowing this). That just stinks, and prevents you from taking charge of your own device without major penalties and loss of value.

Wi-Fi software security bug could leave Android, Windows, Linux open to attack (Ars Technica)

Posted Apr 25, 2015 4:17 UTC (Sat) by ccchips (subscriber, #3222) [Link]

It might be worth noting I am not interested in Android phones. I try to use the dumbest phone I can find, and I prefer to use wifi-only tablets. I should say I am watching the Intel-based tablet space to see if operating-system installation would be easier on those at some time (even if it voids the warranty.) In such a case, I might consider a "free/open-source" version of Android if it had some straightforward way to apply security updates, or some version of Ubuntu or Mint.

I might also mention this; I used to be a Linux junkie, compiling my own kernels, sending patches for the tape driver, doing everything myself. I loved Slackware for that quality in those days. but frankly, I've become spoiled with Ubuntu LTS and Mint and Debian, and even if I weren't, it doesn't seem like fiddling with the source code should be necessary to get security updates, no matter what computer, be it a tablet, phone, desktop or whatever. And for tablets---they are really best for simple things like reading and watching video and getting the weather, so it would be nice to get security updates without a lot of fuss.

As to the previous comment; mishandling security support is a very irresponsible thing on the part of these tablet and phone manufacturers, and frankly I hope it bites them in the ass real hard someday.

Wi-Fi software security bug could leave Android, Windows, Linux open to attack (Ars Technica)

Posted Apr 26, 2015 14:50 UTC (Sun) by Wol (subscriber, #4433) [Link]

> sellers from whom you lease/purchase your phone will not honor warranties

One of the advantages of living in Europe. If a supplier tried to walk away from a hardware fault because you'd rooted your phone, they would get into hot water pretty quickly.

I think there's been cases like that, and it's been a slam-dunk for the consumer. "Flash the phone back to factory default, it's still broken, it's the supplier's problem" ...

Cheers,
Wol