[Tutorial] How to fix the Master Key bug in Android

You might be aware of the Master key bug in Android that could expose your phone to intruders and if you don’t want to wait for the OEM to release the update, you might want to try an alternative way that can fix it.

Here it is:

Requisites:

1. Rooted phone

2.  Android 4.0 or later

3. Xposed Framework

4. Master Key dual fix module

Instructions:

1. Install the Xposed framework if not already done it.

• Download XposedInstaller.apk [Download here] and install it
• Launch the Xposed Installer and click on “Install/Update”
• Reboot

2. Install the Master Key dual fix module

• Download MasterKeyDualFix-1.3.apk [Download here]
• Install it
• Follow the Xposed notification (see the notification bar) about a new module being available, and on the list of modules activate Master Key dual fix
• Reboot

Thats it, you’ve successfully patched the bug! If you want to confirm it just scan your phone with the official Bluebox Security Scanner.

Screenshots:

Bluebox Security Scanner

Master Key dual fix 1

Master Key dual fix 2

Source : Xda-developers.com

Android 4.3 images ready to be downloaded

WARNING: You’ll loose all your data if you flash the factory images. Flash only if you’re sure with what you’re doing.

If you are one among the desperate geeks who is eagerly waiting for the vanilla Android 4.3 to download and flash on to your Nexus device, you might be excited to hear the news about the Android 4.3 announcement.

There is more to add. You can now download the Android 4.3 image to flash on your nexus device. Thanks to Google that all the Nexus devices gets the Android 4.3.

Here is the download link:

Android 4.3 Factory images

Android 4.3 and Nexus 7 is now official

The wait is over and Sundar Pichai has just announced the next version of Android, code named the same “Jelly Bean” with version number 4.3.

Google has added new features in the newest version of Android; a new set of multi user settings with restricted profiles for kids. This means that you can assign a set of apps for your kids and there by providing them a safe Android environment. He/she will not be able to make any wrong purchases and you can completely monitor what your kid does with the phone or tablet.

Android 4.3 supports the OpenGL ES 3.0 which would be some pleasant news for the developers. Also Bluetooth Smart, aka Bluetooth Low Energy has been introduced in Android 4.3.

Quick look:

• Bluetooth AVRCP
• OpenGL ES 3.0 support
• Dial pad autocomplete
• Africaans, Amharic, Hindi, Swahili and Zulu support
• Background Wi-Fi location
• Easier text input
• Faster user-switching

The newest version of Android will roll out for Nexus 4, Nexus 10 and the first-generation Nexus starting from today! Whoa! that was fast, Google!

The next interesting stuff from the Google event is the announcement of the Nexus 7.

Google prepped up a high-resolution, 1920 x 1200 display panel, a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro 8064 processor with Adreno 320 graphics and 2GB of RAM for the new Nexus 7. Thats a whole lot of processing power! The device also features dual stereo speakers, 5-megapixel rear camera and a 1.2 MP front cam. It’ll be available by July 30, says Google.

Quick look at the Nexus 7 specifications:

• 7-inch LCD IPS display with 1920 x 1200 resolution (323ppi)
• 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor
• Adreno 320 graphics (4x graphics)
• 2GB of DDR3LM memory
• 5-megapixel rear camera, 1.2 mega pixel front camera
• 16/32GB storage
• dual-stereo speakers with virtual surround sound technology
• Bluetooth 4.0
• HDMI
• Optional 4G LTE model

Here are a couple of pics from the live Google event.

Image Courtesy : The Verge

Google Press event on 24 July; Android 4.3 on its way?

“Please join us for breakfast with Sundar Pichai“.

Wondering what it is all about? It’s the official invitation from Google for the press event on 24 July 2013. For your information, Sundar Pichai is in charge of Chrome and Android.

The event will be live streamed on Youtube and hence I think it’s a pretty big deal; Perhaps the official announcement of Android 4.3?

The event will start at 09.00 PT (12.00 EST, 17.00 BST, 18.00 CET).

The official invitation:

Keep a browser tab opened for Youtube on 24th July 2013!!!

App of the week: the new GOOGLE MAPS

This week I give the title to Google Maps app for Android which lately had an update and I should say the update has taken it to a new level!
If you haven’t installed it, here’s the link!

Related article here.

Thank You!

Death of Latitude is near, says Google

I’d reported about the official roll out of the updated Google Maps earlier today. Google had been using Latitude as a location sharing utility in the past. There was not a standalone app as such with the name “Latitude” but it was integrated to Google Maps. The utility gave you the option to automatically check in to a predefined location, also it gave an option for your friends who use the utility to find out and track your locations. Along with the announcement of the new Google Maps, the company announced that it will retire Latitude on August 9th 2013.

The retirement of Latitude doesn’t mean that there will be no more location sharing. The features of Latitude are going to be split between the Android system and Google plus. The location sharing which was through Latitude will now be through Google plus and “Check in” will no more be a feature in Google Maps but in Google plus. We should assume it as a move to strengthen Google plus’ presence in social networking.

As a clean swipe, the standalone iOS app for Latitude will be removed from the store soon.

Farewell to Latitude!

Google Maps updated to v7.0; only for Android 4.0.3+

The Google i/o in May offered a lot of goodies to the Android fans and one of them was an updated Google Maps. Google had announced that the rollout of the new Maps wouldn’t be so late and keeping up to the promise, the new Maps is now rolling out. The web version of the Google Maps has been live for some time.

The version is 7.0 and it brings a lot changes to the UI. The design is now similar to the iOS version of the maps and looks elegant compared to the earlier versions. A floating search bar on top of the screen allows you to type in a destination address so that you can access the navigation feature. The revamped UI takes off the bottom bar on phones and tablets and now you have a drawer which you can slide out from the left. There is also a new feature called “Explore” that will let you explore places around; giving a detailed result of the places you searched for. The navigation feature has improved and it’s now ready with “dynamic rerouting,” and live traffic updates.

On the other side of good things we get, there are things we’d miss too. Offline maps and Latitude are no more, also you need to be running Android 4.0.3+ to get the update.

So, if you’d been desperately looking for the update, here’s the Play store link to the new Google Maps.

Screenshots:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Google fixes the ‘99% malware hole’, now it’s all up to the OEMs

It was quite a surprise and shame for Google, when Bluebox Security found out the security hole in Android that could possibly affect 99% of the Android devices on the planet! The vulnerability will let attackers to modify applications into potentially dangerous Trojans! Anyways, as always, Google has responded smart enough that they have released a quick patch to resolve the dilemma that could arise due  to the vulnerability. Thanks to the tech giant, that the 900 million android devices are safe now!

Earlier, Bluebox reported that, the security issue has been in the OS since version 1.6 (Donut) and they were surprised that Google was ignorant about it until it was revealed by them!

Each Android App has a cryptographic signature, to ensure that the contents of the application are not tampered by external attacks. The exploit however would let the attackers tamper the application as they like with the signature still intact!

Gina Scigliano, Google’s Android Communications Manager, said that, “a patch has been provided to our partners – some OEMs, like Samsung, are already shipping the fix to the Android devices.” Now it’s all up to the specific device manufacturers to release the update and all the Android owners should receive an update today or whenever the OEM is ready to release the patch. So keep an eye open for any official firmware updates at any time from now and do make sure you don’t miss it!

We are unaware of PRISM, says Google

Google, in its latest blog post confirmed that they are in no way indulged in any sort of agreement with any government agencies to provide access to their data servers.

The blog post titled, “What the…?” says that Google was not aware of PRISM until thursday!

Wondering what PRISM is? The leaked National Security Agency (NSA) document obtained by the Guardian claims Prism operates with the “assistance of communications providers in the US”, to collect the data of clients from firms like Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft and Yahoo for security surveillance.

Google denied the claims that it’s sharing user data saying,

We provide user data to governments only in accordance with the law. Our legal team reviews each and every request, and frequently pushes back when requests are overly broad or don’t follow the correct process.

Google emphasized that any reports that the company is sharing private data to government is false and is misleading its clients. The blog post says,

We were very surprised to learn that such broad orders exist. Any suggestion that Google is disclosing information about our users’ Internet activity on such a scale is completely false.

Also Google condemns the surveillance policy of the government and said, “the level of secrecy around the current legal procedures undermines the freedoms we all cherish.”

Source : Google

Related articles

• Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page Slam ‘Outrageous’ PRISM Reports (huffingtonpost.com)
• Facebook and Google insist they did not know of Prism surveillance program (guardian.co.uk)

Google to cook ROM for Sony Xperia Z?

According to reports, Google is expected to release 3 smart phones in 2013 that will come with the stock android ROM powering them, well, like the NEXUS line up, but not exactly NEXUS 4S! Rumors say that the Android maker would pick the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC ONE and the third one to be the Sony Xperia Z and all of them would be available for sale on Google play store.

Also we might see a Motorola X phone later this year. Wait for it’s going to rain Google phones!

Source: Android Authority via Phonearena

Related articles

• Sony Xperia Z might soon be receiving the Google Edition treatment (vr-zone.com)
• Google Edition expansion: Sony Xperia Z may be next, who else needs in? (phonearena.com)
• The Google Edition treatment: is the Sony Xperia Z next? (mobot.net)
• Sony Xperia Z with Nexus user experience incoming: Report (androidos.in)
• Sony Xperia Z Google Edition rumored to be in the works (phandroid.com)
• An Xperia Nexus? Don’t bet on it (reviews.cnet.com)