Replace: As identified by our readers, Samsung affords a toggle for turning off the 2G community in some international locations. You possibly can test it out within the screenshot beneath. Nonetheless, this characteristic is not accessible in most areas.Summarize in one-click with Galaxy AI
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Google has simply printed an article on the Google Safety Weblog. It highlights the dearth of a characteristic in Samsung’s smartphones and tablets that would expose individuals to privateness and safety assaults main them to fall for fraud and scams.
Criminals can use unsafe 2G community to assault Android units
Within the weblog submit, Google explains that fraudsters or scamsters can use cell-site simulators, also referred to as False Base Stations (FBS) or Stingrays, that are radio units, to create their very own 4G and 5G networks. They’ll then customise these to make them seem as networks offered by well-established carriers.
At this level, cellphones close by would possibly begin connecting to those pretend networks as they may not have the ability to differentiate between a pretend and an actual one. As soon as that occurs, criminals drive these units to hook up with a 2G community created by them.
Now, the 2G community lacks many essential safety measures that 4G and 5G networks provide. Leveraging the dearth of these security measures, criminals can ship an SMS containing spam to these units, which may lead their house owners to fall for frauds and scams, in addition to surveil them and intercept their communications.
Google says turning off 2G community protects you from these assaults
To safeguard from these privateness and safety assaults, Google asks individuals to show off the 2G community on their Android units. In response to the corporate, Android has been providing individuals the choice to show off the 2G community since Android 12.
Sadly, Samsung’s telephones and tablets don’t provide an choice to show off simply 2G community and preserve different networks (3G, 4G, and 5G) working, regardless that Android has been providing it for greater than two years. Samsung’s units present solely the community modes that you simply see within the screenshot beneath.
This exposes Galaxy telephone and pill house owners to scams and fraud via the assaults talked about above. We hope that Samsung is paying attention to this and affords a software program replace to all Galaxy units that provides the flexibility to show off simply the 2G community.
Further screenshot: Angel Castro Lagunes
