Phone Makers’ Android Tweaks Cause Security Problems

The open nature of Google’s Android operating system means manufacturers can add their own software layer to the phone -- helping them stand out from the pack with a different look and features. Yet new research shows such tailoring may also be responsible for a host of security weaknesses that could make phones more vulnerable to hackers. According to a study conducted by computer science researchers at North Carolina State University, changes manufacturers made to the stock Android software were responsible for more than 60 percent of the security flaws uncovered in phones from different handset companies.