Security has become the main theme of modern smartphone construction and just our life. Everyone constantly wants no one to follow them, no one can hack their gadgets and connect to their home network. Sometimes this is really important, but often people simply overestimate the importance of security. This is a topic for a big separate conversation, but for now the reason for discussion was thrown by Google, which released the first smartphone, which immediately at launch has an important security certificate and thus stands out from the rest. Several other devices have it, but it is the Pixel 4a that has become a bit special in that sense.
Smartphone security is more important than much. Especially if it is done wisely.
Google Pixel 4a's new security certification
Last week, Google announced the budget smartphone Google Pixel 4a. We waited for it for a very long time, but, apparently, were well rewarded with a combination of features and price. We still have to deal with it in detail, but something else is interesting. The Alphabet-owned company today confirmed that the Pixel 4a is the first smartphone to be ioXt-certified at launch, the international standard for IoT security.
Along with the Pixel 4a, last year's Pixel 4 smartphones were also certified by the Internet of Secure Things Alliance (ioXt). Interestingly, this announcement was made right after Google discontinued the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones. However, this does not mean that they cannot meet certain standards, and now this has been documented.
What is ioXt
The Alliance is committed to maintaining a safety compliance assessment program for connected devices. It currently has over 200 members, including Google, Amazon, Facebook, T-Mobile, Comcast, Zigbee Alliance and many more. In addition to smartphones, ioXt certification for devices includes smart lighting systems, smart speakers, webcams and some other gadgets that can be part of a smart home system.
This certificate speaks volumes in terms of security. At least it should.
Now smartphones are becoming key devices for accessing smart home systems. Naturally, they should be as protected as possible. Especially considering that a smart home is not only about automatically turning on the light in the toilet. It is also door locks, heating systems, air conditioning and much more, which can directly or indirectly affect security if someone gains access to it.
How devices receive the ioXt security certification
In order for a smartphone to pass ioXt testing for profile Android, it must run on an OS Android and support GMS (Google Mobile Services) or similar services. There is no confirmation as to whether Mobile Services Huawei (HMS) is GMS equivalent or not. Formally, smartphones from this Chinese manufacturer may have difficulties obtaining a security certificate.
The Alliance will consider several factors with several rating levels. Based on these checks, a decision is made whether the device is worthy of obtaining a safety certificate.
IoXt Compliance Check Criteria
- biometric authentication reliability
- security update frequency
- duration of security support
- quality of the vulnerability disclosure program
- minimizing the risks of preloaded apps
Google Pixel 4a safety and specs
The Pixel 4a features a rear-mounted fingerprint reader for secure user authentication. It also features a custom-built Titan M security chip to prevent malicious attacks and code cracking. It also does a lot of work in the background in order to further protect the smartphone from unpleasant situations associated with hacking or surveillance.
It's getting harder and harder for these guys.
It is not yet clear whether this really gives something from a security point of view or whether we were just told a beautiful story, but in fact everything works the same or slightly better than it was before. However, in defense of Google, we can say that it is really trying to make its products more secure.
For example, in November 2019, the company increased its remuneration as part of its bug-finding program. Now those who can crack the Titan M security chip will receive rewards of up to one million dollars. So if you have any ideas, don't miss your chance.
To keep the smartphone more secure, the Google Pixel 4a will be one of the first devices to receive monthly security updates, the company says. How to relate to what has been said, decide for yourself.
The security certification for the Google Pixel 4a will surely boost sales, but it won't take the company to the top of the global rankings.
Google also guarantees major updates Android for a minimum of three years. The initially newly released Pixel 4a runs Android 10 out of the box. Not only will Pixels be the first to receive updates, they will also be able to update to Android 14. At least Android 11 this year can be installed on Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL released in 2017.
It turns out that for $ 349, a Google Pixel with such support, security level and 6/128 GB memory will be very good. At least iPhone second-gen SE and OnePlus Nord will have a lot more to worry about.