Some security researchers have revealed that using old iPhones and Android smartphones can put users, as they are vulnerable to hacking attacks. The attacks can be aimed at either spying on users or stealing personal information.
What do we mean by old phone? We mean phones that haven't received software updates for a year or two.
A security researcher from Comparitech.com , Brian Higgins, said: “Unsupported software and hardware pose a serious risk to consumers, as there is no protection from cybercriminals . ” He also said that any vulnerability can be exploited by hackers and users can do nothing to prevent it since they cannot download antivirus software. Unsupported devices do not receive security updates , which makes them “incredibly vulnerable.”
The expert also said it's shocking how quickly smartphones are becoming "unsupported." For example, any device before the iPhone 6 (including the iPhone 6) cannot be updated to Apple 's latest iOS 13 software .
Things are even worse for Android phones. Experts say that many of these smartphones stop receiving updates after just two or three years.
There have even been cases where Android phones stopped receiving updates after just a year or even earlier. Malicious hackers find these old devices easy targets. Therefore, we all need to check if our devices are still receiving updates to make sure we stay safe.
