Warning: Data Can Be Stolen from an Android Smartphone in Just One Minute!

Описание: Warning: Data Can Be Stolen from an Android Smartphone in Just One Minute!

Smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives. We rely on them for communication, storing information, and even many official tasks. But those same phones can also become major tools for surveillance and data theft. Researchers from the University of California, Washington University, and Carnegie Mellon University in the United States have recently discovered a new hacking technique capable of stealing data and codes from an Android smartphone in as little as one minute.

According to the researchers, the new method called “PixSnapping” has already been used to harvest personal data, messages, and two-factor authentication codes from devices such as Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy S25 models without users’ knowledge. With minor modifications, the technique could be applied to other smartphones as well. Any information displayed on the phone screen can be extracted remotely using this method.

The researchers say PixSnapping resembles the 2023 GPU dot-gip attack. In both cases, attackers exploit vulnerabilities in the graphics processing unit (GPU) to capture what is shown on the device screen. To carry out a PixSnapping attack, victims are first tricked into installing a malicious app. The app then uses Android’s application programming interfaces (APIs) to launch specific apps and force certain information to appear on the phone’s display. Project lead Allan Linghao Wang described the process as akin to taking “screenshots” without authorization.

Google has stated there is currently no evidence that PixSnapping has been used in real-world cyberattacks. However, it has identified the related security weakness and released software updates that partially mitigate the attack’s impact. Another update is scheduled for release in December.

Source: Indian Express.