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Essay / Android OS Review
Android OS is extremely secure and very difficult for malicious users to access and corrupt other people's phones without the user does not grant them permission, but this has not always been the case. Because the Linux kernel is directly accessible, this means developers must use advanced software and hardware to ensure application, data, and network integrity and confidentiality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayThe main security features that Android has built in to protect the phone or tablet is the Google Play app, from which the users download the majority of their applications. Google Play now has license verification and Google Play Protect that scans apps when you download them from the App Store. Android also has an app and website to locate if a device is stolen/lost. It also has a feature that when you download from a website for example and the device cannot verify the app certificate, shows a pop-up that users need to uncheck to allow the installation from an unknown source. Additionally, the device, if enabled, may undergo periodic scans that will notify the user of potentially dangerous applications. This is illustrated in the diagram. The basic Android security features shown are a PIN, password and pattern or, in some of the newer devices, can be unlocked via the user's face. One service offered by Android phones is device encryption. This involves snooping through the data on the device and only when the device receives the correct key will you be able to access the data, for example a password or PIN. If a user does not enter the correct password after a certain number of tries, users can sometimes set a complete wipe option. Android uses dm-crypt to encrypt data. This encrypts data down to the root file system, thus operating at the kernel level and has a 128-bit algorithm. It allows you to encrypt the entire disk. However, once this encryption key is set, it is not possible to change it without a hard reset of the device and without losing all data. Newer versions of Android have built-in fast encryption, meaning you are prompted for your key at startup, resulting in a slightly long delay to boot the device. At the app level, Android introduced sandbox security and permissions. Sandbox is an old concept and originates from the UNIX operating system which would divide the file permissions of processes. This means that once the application is operational, unless authorized by the user, the application remains in its settings and runs on a virtual machine. This ensures that one application does not have access to another application. It works sort of like a sand toy, that is, once the sand is in the toy, unless the child lets the sand out, the sand will never leave the walls of the sandbox. This is seen when users first download their app from the Play Store or once downloaded they go to the app settings and can change it from there. For example, simple apps like a photo editing app should not access your phone,”.