Cheap phones leave poorer users vulnerable

Examples

A 2017 research report found that the most vulnerable smartphone users are the ones whose devices are most open to fraud and harassment. Cheaper, low-end devices are less secure to begin with, and they are also less often replaced than their more expensive counterparts made by. Apple and Google. At any given time there are millions of Android devices that are open to known exploits. Worse, the poorer population that owns these phones are more likely to use them as their sole means of accessing the internet. Google's own figures showed that in 2016 only 3% of the world's Android devices were running the latest version of its Android operating system, and only half received a security patch that year. Finally, few manufacturers advise customers up front how long they will continue to support the device and issue security patches. 

External Link to Story

https://advox.globalvoices.org/2017/03/30/global-inequality-in-your-pocket-how-cheap-smartphones-and-lax-policies-leave-us-vulnerable-to-hacking/

 

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