Google has completely reformulated and changed Android developments and testing. After a very successful experiment with Android Nougat, this testing program has now come to an end, paving the way for the Beta program of Android O which will help improving authentication via SMS and many more things.
Android O Will Help Improve Authentication Via SMS
Security on Android is always a tricky subject given the high number of issues. If most of these are out of Google’s control, due to misuse, the search giant has sought to increase security.
A novelty, coming with Android O, has now been discovered and comes to bring greater security in SMS authentication that many applications use.
SMS authentication is one of the ways used to ensure security in accessing user data. With a simple message, the applications can ensure that they are on the right smartphone and with the intended user.
But to facilitate its use and ensure automatic reading of these codes received by SMS, applications end up having access to all messages.
To end this situation, increasing security and maintaining the simplicity of use, the tech giant Google decided to change this model in Android O and introduced a new API, which manages all these authentications, communicating directly with the applications.
In this new process, whenever an application requires the use of a code received by SMS, it will create a PendingIntent with type createAppSpecificSmsToken, which will alert the system of the arrival of a new message.
The first message that arrives that includes the 11-character code will be sent to the application. Only after the application achieves authentication is that the message will be delivered in the SMS box, ensuring security.
For programmers, this will be a substantial improvement since they no longer have to manage one more permission. For users, it also has obvious advantages, as they no longer have to give SMS access to any application.
It may seem like a minimal change, but it’s a big evolution in Android as it ensures higher levels of user security.
