Android Security Fuck Ups

  According to a recent article, about 90% of Android devices are susceptible to malware. The main reason for this is that most Android devices never get regular security updates. This is primarily due to the fact that most manufacturers and carriers don't bother to update older model smartphones and tablets. They want you constantly upgrading to the latest high end device. I became aware of this problem when my AVG antivirus app alerted me to the Stagefright exploit. According to this article, some 950 million Android phones, mine included, are vulnerable. You'd think, given the extent of the threat, that the manufacturers and carriers would be concerned but that's not exactly the case. They only give a shit if you have the latest devices and only if it's a high end model. If you own an older device or a low to mid range device, you're shit out of luck. One possible fix would be to install a custom Android ROM on your device. CyanogenMod and the XDA-Developers Forum provide these ROMs for a variety of Android devices. My problem is I have virtually no idea how to install a custom ROM on my phone. Zimperium has made Stagefright patches available but I'm not sure how to install them.