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It turns out that your smartphone could be an overlooked vulnerability that puts you at risk of being tracked. To combat this, Google is rolling out a new security feature in Android 16 that will warn users if their device is using a fake or insecure mobile network or if that network requests identifying information about a connected device.
However, these features likely won’t be available until the next generation of Android devices, as first reported by Android Authority. Since the current Android devices lack the hardware to support these features, the first compatible Android device we could see with this tech may be the Pixel 10 that’s expected to debut later this summer.
This feature is designed to counteract cell site simulators, or devices that act like a cell tower and trick nearby devices into connecting to it. Once connected, these simulators can glean sensitive information, like the location of a smartphone. These cell site simulators are better known by their commercial nickname, Stingray, and have been reportedly used by agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as Customs and Border Protection.
The upcoming security features are rolling out as part of the latest Android OS update, which was released earlier this month. Compatible devices will have the option to toggle “network notifications” on or off, which will warn you if your device connects to an unencrypted network or when the connected network requests your phone’s unique identifiers. On top of that, there’s another option that lets you turn on “2G network protection” to avoid the less secure mobile network type.
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