Google uses Android kill switch to control malware

SOFTWARE DEVELOPER Google has announced that it will use a remote kill capability to remove malware apps that have been downloaded to Android devices.

Last week Google suffered the embarrasment of having its Android security measures questioned after a glut of malware appeared on its Android Market. Since then, Google has confirmed that the malware affected all devices running Android 2.2.2 or earlier, meaning just about every Android smartphone except for the Nexus One and Nexus S.

Google was quick to remove the offending applications from its Android Market, however now it has distributed an update that includes a "remote application removal feature". The software will allow Google to remotely remove applications and is similar to the kill switch found on Apple IOS devices.

Aside from the apps removal feature, Google says, "[We are] adding a number of measures to help prevent additional malicious applications using similar exploits from being distributed through Android Market and are working with our partners to provide the fix for the underlying security issues,"

Although the remote apps removal feature does have an Orwellian aura about it, such a feature is required to contain the spread of malware. Google's admission that it is working on the "underlying security issues" suggests that perhaps the firm didn't quite do its homework before designing the Android Market.

This shows that having mobile devices running deprecated versions of Android can lead to malware problems. Google might want to adjust its open attitude toward software upgrades to better protect its users. µ