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Typically, smartphone security architecture is based on five aspects: Access Control, Application Provenance, Encryption, Isolation and Permission-related access control. Mobile app development projects move around above mentions aspects and developer use these aspects to develop applications. However, these developments further create 10 types of security related concerns including Data Loss/Leakage, Poor Disposal, Unintentional Data Disclosure, Phishing, Spyware, Network Spoofing Attacks, Surveillance, Diallerware, Financial Malware, and Network Congestion.

Analyzing Android for Security related aspects

Everybody knows how strong Android’s presence is in the global smartphone market. It is an open-source smartphone operating system that runs on Linux. Android architecture includes an OS, application framework and some core applications. Android Architecture provides access to system services including Memory management, Security, Process management, Network stack, and Driver model. Android Security Model

Google Android uses separation of privileges to approach and maintain system security that further provides an app with isolation from other apps as well as similar isolation from the OS as well. Processes executed by an Android app are subject to a permission assessment that provides the app with privileges of functioning operations. By default no app has permission to affect the functionalities and operations of other applications. Android app developers need to specify the permissions that their app needs because the same permissions protect the app from interfaces of other apps. An application needs to actively declare the types of permissions it requires to execute its operations.

Apps are developed by app builders who almost have no barrier to publish their apps on Google Play. App builders have to pay a one-time payment to submit their apps. Since no vetting process has been deployed, app’s security depends on the judgment of users and the

Android security model.

However, Android has received so many exposes for its malware-related bits in the past. A recent study by computer scientists at North Carolina State University revealed that more than 50k apps on Google Play include so-called advertisement libraries. The study further revealed that these libraries are distributed either by Google or third party app builders. As per the findings, 297 apps were categorized as “aggressive” that were running codes from remote server. About 95% apps had access to track location via GPS while others were able to access call logs, contact numbers and the list of other apps on devices.

Android is the securest OS but in many cases, the breach to personal data is caused by the ignorance of users. As Android user, you have to be very careful while downloading free apps.

Google has also put some restrictions for not publishing applications that contain contents related to sexually explicit material, violence and bullying, hate speech, impersonation of deceptive behavior, personal confidential information, intellectual property illegal activity, gambling, malicious products, and spyware.

Mia Klaus is a technical writer and enjoys sharing what's latest in mobile . Android is most popular OS and here she discusses about how an android apps development through his apps development tools engages the mobile users with wonderful and thoughtful apps.