Software updates can add new functions or patch vulnerabilities that expose your details. Tap or click here to see how a dangerous Zoom flaw puts your computer at risk.
The main reason to update all your tech regularly is to get critical security patches. Amazon's Ring devices are a perfect example. A severe flaw in the Ring app was recently discovered that needs updating ASAP.
Read on to see how the flaw can give hackers access to camera footage and what you can do about it.
It is common for companies only to disclose serious flaws after the affected software gets patched. This happened with Amazon's Ring video doorbells, as cybersecurity firm Checkmarx discovered a critical vulnerability.
Ring quietly stamped out a flaw that could have given hackers access to its Android app and view video footage from your device.
The technical details are complex, but Checkmarx explains the vulnerability "was accessible to other applications on the same device." Hackers could access the file when Android users are tricked into installing malware.
Checkmarx discovered the flaw in early May and promptly sent a notification to Amazon. However, it took the company a while to roll out a patch, bringing its Android app version to 3.51.0.
Amazon is quick to point out that the vulnerability was difficult to exploit. "This issue would be extremely difficult for anyone to exploit because it requires an unlikely and complex set of circumstances to execute," it reported.
To demonstrate the severity of the issue, Checkmarx used the Amazon Rekognition service to show that hackers could "scan an unlimited number of videos and detect objects, text, faces, and public figures, among other things."
Updating software as soon as a patch is available is always a good idea. This goes for anything from your mobile phone or computer's operating system to minor updates for apps. The Ring app for Android was updated to fix this dangerous flaw, so updating ASAP is critical.
Here's how to update an Android app:
If you no longer use the Android Ring app, here's how to remove it:
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