Android 16 brings a new security feature that is designed to help users find potential monitoring efforts. According to a new report, the latest version of the OS can now inform users when their phone is connected to an unsafe or suspicious mobile network, such as created by a fake cell tower.
These fake towers, often known as a stingry or cell site simulator, imitate real cell towers and connect nearby phones. Once attached, the attacker can collect data such as your IMEI number or force the phone to switch to old, low -secure network such as 2G. This makes it easier to stop the encrypted calls and texts. Although stingry is often used by law enforcement agencies, they can also be misused by hackers or other bad actors.
The report says Google has been working on ways to prevent these risks for a while. In Android 12, consumers have the option of shutting down 2G support. Android 14 added reservations against non -encrypted network connection. Then in Android 15, Google added a way to detect the system when a network attempts to access unique identifiers of the phone or change the encryption settings.
However, these features depend on the phone’s modem support. In particular, they need version 3.0 of Android’s Erideo Hall (hardware summary layer). Since many existing phones do not have it, some features are still not available – even the latest Android versions on pixel devices.
However, with Android 16Google Safety Center is bringing back a dedicated “mobile network security” settings page. This includes two main features:
- Network notifications: When the phone contacts the non -encrypted network or when a network requests your device identifiers alert you.
- 2G Network Protection: Let you completely turn off 2G network support.
Both options are closed in terms of default and only appear when the device’s hardware supports them. This is why the current Pixel phone will not show the new settings page, but launching with the new model Android 16, Like the expected Pixel 10, there will be a possibility.
If active, the Android notification will post alerts to the panel and the safety center. These warnings tell you that when your phone is converted to un -encrypted networks, and when a network asks for your phone identifiers, login is logged.
It is very unique to consider that Apple does not currently present a directly equal equivalent where users are warned about fake cell towers or in real -time unsafe network conditions. However, Apple can implement some network concerns in conjunction with the carrier, but they are often buried in carrier settings and are not adjusted by the user.
Therefore, for Android users, its update will be a small but meaningful move to improve the user’s privacy. Although unfortunately it will not help existing phones, it shows that Google is strengthening the defense of Android against silent tracking methods. In my opinion, the real effect will depend on how the phone makers adopt a large -scale hardware.
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