Your phone can be hijacked through a replacement screen

Installing malicious apps or visiting phishing websites aren’t the only things that can compromise security of your phone. A new study finds that even a screen replacement can compromise this. In a newly published paper from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, they found that embedding a malicious integrated chip within a third-party touchscreen can manipulate the communications system of a device. They tried this out on a Huawei Nexus 6P and LG G Pad 7.0. The chip was able to do things like take photos of the users and send these via email, record keyboard input, direct users to phishing sites, and install apps. A second class attack also let them exploit vulnerabilities in the devices’s operating system kernel.

The researchers say these screens can be made to look like the real thing and is file-less so it can go undetected by anti-virus software. They made use of an Arduino platform running on an ATmega328 micro-controller module and STM32L432 micro-controller to carry out the task. But other micro-controllers could also work. They used a hot air blower to separate the display from the main assembly board to access the copper pads and then they soldered a copper wire to attach the chips. While it isn’t the most polished job, it could require little effort to hide the altered part. And it affects not just Android but iPhone devices, too. Be careful where you get your screen replaced.

Source: Engadget

Apple rumoured to be considering bendable displays for future iPhones

If a recent Wall Street Journal report is anything to go by, iPhones in the future might get a bit more flexible. According to the story, Apple is supposedly looking into using flexible screen technology from Japan Display. The company makes use of LCD and plastic for its display technology instead of LCD and glass, thus making it easier to bend the display. According to Japan Display, this type of screen can be mass produced as early as next year. Of course, it doesn’t necessarily mean bendable iPhones will be in our immediate future. It takes more than screen technology to get a flexible smartphone to work. And, of course, Apple is mum about this report. If the time comes when we do get a bendy iPhone, would it be something you’d like to buy?

Source: 9 to 5 Mac

Future Samsung phones to double pixel amount, more flexible displays

Samsung held its Analyst Day recently to talk about future plans for the company. Future smartphones will have 560ppi AMOLED displays, which will have 78 percent more pixels than the current LG G2 if combined with 1440p resolution, and 4K resolution screens for smartphones by the year 2015.

The Korean company foresees more wearable and flexible gadgets will be the next big thing by 2015 or 2016. Also making its debut next year would be a 16-megapixel smartphone camera sensor. New 64-bit customized ARM chips will make an appearance soon as well.

Source: The Verge