The battle against malware continues on Android, and Google just took a big step to provide users with better protection from dangerous apps.
Android 7.1 comes with a “Panic Detection Mode” feature that is activated by repeatedly pressing the back button. Once Panic Mode is activated, the device goes back to the home screen, closing any running apps and bypassing any further locks.
Panic detection mode is activated when the back button is pressed four times every 0.3 seconds or faster, as Android attempts to detect whether the user is actually trying to activate this feature or is simply pressing the back button to go to a previous screen or app.
Although at first glance Panic detection mode doesn't seem to make much sense, it's actually a very useful feature that's being launched at the right time.
Ransomware is growing at an extremely fast pace, not only on Windows, but also on other platforms, including Android, and what they do is encrypt files and devices until users pay the decryption fee.
In theory, the new feature introduced by Google will be able to bypass the locking system that ransomware usually has, so if a user presses back 4 times in a row, the current function will be disabled and the user will return to the home screen. They will then be able to uninstall the application that caused the problem.
This feature is also very useful in cases of apps that prevent you from exiting them, so once you are on the home screen, you can delete the app that is causing you problems.
Google has yet to officially announce the feature, and it's very possible that future ransomware strains specifically targeting Android will use systems that could thwart Panic Detection Mode. That's why Google needs to continue developing security features for its operating system.
Earlier today, it was discovered that a new Android malware called SpyDealer could compromise devices and allow hackers to spy on users, as it carries capabilities to record phone calls and take photos through the devices' camera.
