Analysis – Google and Samsung have lately made frantic efforts to make Android a safer option for businesses. But “safer” does not mean that it is safe enough.
The Android platform still has a long way to become with the security capabilities of Apple’s iOS-based measure iPhones and iPads. Let alone to access the BlackBerry standard
.
Because of the fragmentation of the platform, Android has always been difficult to manage. Add to that the limited opportunities for security and management, and you see that most organizations restrict access from Android devices to basic email. iPhones and iPads are in the business and have become the standard devices for most users replace the BlackBerry
There is good news for Android. The Android for Work technology found in Android’s Lollipop, brings Android devices a shared security and management model, regardless of the manufacturer.
Android for Work provides a secure container that manages to manage IT from a mobile management server, similar to how IT iOS devices beyond the standard security Apple offers through Exchange ActiveSync policies. (Google now supports many of the same EAS policies as iOS.)
Google is experimenting now with a variety of password substitutes, such as facial and swipepatronen, which also makes it easier for users to unlock their device. Ironically provide the password policies in EAS and mobile management servers instead for users can not use these methods and they force the usual approach with traditional PINs or passwords.
Samsung tries its Android devices to the BlackBerry in the Android world, by providing additional hardware security as kernel and file integrity checking. The set comes in high-end devices like the new Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge also Knox technology built in.
Knox supports 2.4 as opposed to Android for Work, mass deployment of devices over-the-air, what iOS could have been the end of 2013. It also offers a broad set of content management APIs appearing slowly in Android now on Android for Work and Knox.
Encryption remains Androids Achilles heel
Android Lollipop had to provide standard device encryption devices, but no manufacturer seems to apply it; not even Samsung. Encryption on Android has long been a neglected. Even in Lollipop remains an optional disable feature and it is independent of the device to unlock. Since 2010, encryption in iOS to default, it is integrated with the device unlock and can not be disabled
Encryption in Android -. Also within Lollipop – pretty slow, even on high-end devices like the Galaxy S6. On low-end devices brings the performance down. In contrast, the iOS user invisible and has no performance impact.
Given the performance loss is logical that Android manufacturers encryption default off – their hardware and the Android OS can not do encryption on the way users and businesses that wish
. Of course you can through EAS and MDM policies block access to unencrypted Android devices, but you can not prevent users decrypt their own devices. The use of containers as those found in Android for Work and Knox reduce the encryption drawbacks, but worry that you can encrypt only those partitions. Users can not turn off that encryption.
Android apps remain a major malware risk
Apple is often criticized for its strict policy for apps in the App Store, but that are only a few infected apps penetrated the devices of users. The absence of a shared file system in conjunction with a sandbox environment for apps, makes any infected apps hardly can start something with other apps and external data.
Therefore, the risk of malware on iOS only applies to apps these sites and third-party services calls – usually limits the hazard to phishing. But these apps are very rare. Compare that with Google’s Play store, where researchers frequently mountains detect malicious phishing apps.
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