- Android 16 may include additional protection against USB hacks
- The function was identified in code in the current beta version
- USB accessories would not work on a locked smartphone
If a potential pirate can have physical access to your phone, you have an entire set of additional security problems, but it seems that Android 16 will introduce a new way of locking your data and protecting USB access.
As identified by the Android Authority team, the code hidden in the latest beta versions of Android 16 suggests that the signaling of USB data – the possibility of running software on a phone via the USB port – can be deactivated by the user.
This optional additional seems to be included in the context of the advanced protection mode, a wider suite of safety features. This mode is intended for telephone owners most at risk of hacking attacks and is delivered with several additional data protections.
The advanced protection mode is not new, but we expect it to get some improvements with Android 16, including automatic restarts for inactive phones (theoretically reluctant the thieves who do not have passwords or biometric data to connect).
Stay protected
To watch
In general, Android phones (and devices in general) are more confident of the devices directly connected. No one wants to have a password every day just to use their keyboard and computer mouse, for example.
However, this additional confidence (and additional convenience when it comes to using your equipment and accessories) can lead to security vulnerabilities: it is by the local access road in which many gadgets can be broken.
The code found by Android Authority suggests that you will need to unlock your phone, with a fingerprint or a facial analysis for example, before you can connect accessories that can communicate with your device and use the signaling of USB data.
We will have to wait and see exactly how it works – Android 16 will be launched in the coming months – but the advanced protection mode remains optional, so it is your choice, whether or not you want to take some additional drawbacks in exchange for better security.
