Yesterday we told you about a security hole that was discovered on a selection of HTC Android smartphones, mainly the ones that had recently updated to the latest version of Sense UI.
The security vulnerability was discovered in a HTC logging app, which for some reason could leak personal data such as contacts, messages, GPS location and other logging data to a specifically made app that could extract this data with only basic Internet permissions – something that definitely should not happen.
Well, after the discovery of the vulnerability, the issue was reported to HTC who have now issued a statement confirming the security hole as well as their intentions on how and when they intend to fix it.
HTC say that they are working on a patch as we speak and it will be released to affected smartphones as an over-the-air update, which should happen after a short testing period with various networks.
Until then though, HTC say that you should steer clear of any apps that you do not completely trust, to try and reduce the possibility of your data being stolen by developers with malicious intent.
If you’re interested in reading the full HTC statement on the matter, you can find it below:
HTC Public Statement
HTC takes claims related to the security of our products very seriously. In our ongoing investigation into this recent claim, we have concluded that while this HTC software itself does no harm to customers’ data, there is a vulnerability that could potentially be exploited by a malicious third-party application. A third party malware app exploiting this or any other vulnerability would potentially be acting in violation of civil and criminal laws. So far, we have not learned of any customers being affected in this way and would like to prevent it by making sure all customers are aware of this potential vulnerability.
HTC is working very diligently to quickly release a security update that will resolve the issue on affected devices. Following a short testing period by our carrier partners, the patch will be sent over-the-air to customers, who will be notified to download and install it. We urge all users to install the update promptly. During this time, as always, we strongly urge customers to use caution when downloading, using, installing and updating applications from untrusted sources.
What’s your opinion on this matter? Do you have an affected HTC smartphone? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or via our @Gadget_Helpline Twitter page or Official Facebook group.