Android P Limits the Use of Background Apps Accessing the Camera when the Device is Idle

Nowadays trojanized Android apps evolving rapidly every day, cyber criminals use numbers of methods to upload malicious apps in play store and continuously targeting users. Introducing Android P the next major version of Android includes new rules that can prevent accessing the camera and Microphone.

The new rule ensures that malicious apps will not take any pictures in the background when your screen is off.

If you install a single malicious app that is enough for a developer to get full control over your device and they can record videos, Audio, Contact and call dumps.

At GBHackers we have demonstrated how can attackers get access to your phone and what are the details that they can extract from the compromised phone.

What’s New With Android P?

The new rule focused on UIDs, at the time of installing application a unique UID will be generated and it won’t change as long ass the app remains installed.

If an app in an idle UID tries to use the camera we immediately generate an error.Since apps already should handle these errors it is safe to apply this policy to all apps to protect user privacy.

If a UID is in an idle state we don’t allow recording to protect user’s privacy. If the UID is in an idle state we allow recording but report empty data (all zeros in the byte array) and once the process goes in an active state we report the real mic data, according to android-review.

In Android P according to XDA developers analysis “when the system is in an Idle state then the background apps’ access to CPU and network-intensive services is restricted. Android system will generate an error and close the access.

By having a limitation in place for accessing the camera, it is easy to detect the malicious apps, because they need to establish a foreground service to stay alive.

With Android P if an app tried to remain hidden in the background it will no longer and won’t be able to access the camera. Android P still in development, possibly it will be released in Google I/O developer conference this year 16-18 May 2018.

Also, the Android P includes more customization when compared to earlier versions of the Android operating system.