One such improvement is Rollback Protection, a protection that will prevent older versions of Android from being installed on smartphones, just to ensure the safety of users. This news was presented very discreetly in the last I/O and is part of the new protection elements package of Android Oreo. The tech giant Google has decided to group all these security options in one place so they are more controlled and more accessible.
What is Rollback Protection?
The basic idea behind Rollback Protection is to prevent users from installing older versions of Android or removing security updates, thereby exposing them to issues that have already been resolved. For almost all users this is good news. Android will be more protected and it will be almost impossible to exploit some well-known flaws that will be resolved over time, with data being further safeguarded.
How does Rollback Protection work on Android Oreo?
To achieve this, Android Oreo evaluates at boot time several factors of the operating system. Among them is a code from the Android itself, the Rollback Index, where the version of the update will appear. The phone will also have stored in the protected memory area the highest code it has accessed and will make the comparison with the value, in order to decide whether or not there were changes made to the system. Of course, if this number is different the smartphone will not boot, as well as if it understands that the number stored in memory has been tampered with. This will be saved with high security, so you can not make changes. The tech giant Google has information about Rollback Protection on this page.
But are we all bound to stick with Android Oreo?
If for most this novelty is not a problem and even welcome, but still, some users will want to make changes. For this, the tech giant Google has created a configuration item that can be changed and will disable Rollback Protection. It will be similar to unlocking the bootloader. Rollback Protection will be available on the latest devices and of course, the devices that will have Android Oreo. This is yet another simple measure that will bring more security to Android and all its users, preventing them from using versions that have security holes that endanger them. So, what do you think about this new security feature? Simply share your views and thoughts in the comment section below.
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