It’s no secret that our mobile devices are in desperate need of added security measures. Most mobile device users will take matters into their own hands, and utilize external or added-on security features in addition to the implementations that automatically come with their devices.
The fact of the matter is: mobile security is at an all-time low. Google is taking a step in the right direction by recognizing this, as they’ve recently announced a new (or not so new) addition to the Android 7.1 – a ‘Panic Detection Mode’ designed to detect and dispose of malware.
“The security feature, referred to as a “panic detection mode,” records how many times the back button is pressed within a certain time frame. A look into the SystemUI’s code shows that the feature is activated when the user taps the back button at least four times, with each tap detected within 0.3 seconds of the preceding input.
The panic detection feature then overrides whatever command or application is on display and forces the device to return to the home screen. This provides the user with the opportunity to uninstall the annoying or potentially malicious application.”
As we learned from the Judy malware that was making waves on app stores, malware commonly disguises itself as an app. By doing this, it can abuse accessibility features in an Android’s OS like key pressing.
Now, Android’s ‘Panic Detection Mode’ has actually been out for a while now. Google just hasn’t made it a point to advertise the apparently meant-to-be-hidden feature. The secret is out now though – and it’s a good thing too. For Android 7.1 users at least, a sense of stability and security is now accompanied by the everyday use of their mobile devices.
It won’t be long before all mobile devices offer a mode similar to Android’s panic detection mode (hopefully). Or – it won’t be long before Android becomes the only mobile device worth purchasing, if only for security purposes.