Android's accessibility service is a powerful tool that allows people with disabilities to use mobile devices more easily. It's also a favorite among criminals seeking to take over a device because it holds so much power.
Accessibility is a permission rarely invoked by apps that have nothing to do with providing people with disabilities with useful features. Its power is well-known, and very few official apps will mess with it for fear of attracting the wrath of Google.
On the other hand, malicious apps don't have the same qualms when invoking the Accessibility permission. In fact, many types of malware will try to gain access to this permission as a way to take over control and monitor devices.
When it comes to sideloading or installing third-party apps on devices, there's no doubt that Android is king. But this critical feature also opens up the possibility of installing malware, which will try to gain access to devices and invoke permissions for Accessibility.
Why it's dangerous
The Accessibility service can be used in countless ways to help people, and Google's official advice is that this functionality should only be invoked by the right apps. There used to be a time when users were just presented with a long list of permissions an app needed to function. People would just mindlessly give them away.
In modern Android devices, that's no longer the case. Now, only when an app needs a particular permission will the user grant it explicitly. In fact, the app needs to state why it needs that specific permission. For example, why give a weather app access to SMS or phone calls?
People need to remember that Accessibility services hold a great deal of power. We should be immediately suspicious when an app asks for permissions in this area.
Here's a list of what attackers can do with all that power.
Conclusion
Users can stay safe by installing security solutions such as Bitdefender Mobile Security, which can be a proactive measure against these threats. But the power of the Accessibility service makes it mandatory for any user to add it to the list of regular common-sense advice: don't open email attachments from unknown senders, don't click on links from messages that invoke urgencies, and always be suspicious of any app asking Accessibility permissions.
tags
Silviu is a seasoned writer who followed the technology world for almost two decades, covering topics ranging from software to hardware and everything in between.
View all postsNovember 14, 2024
September 06, 2024