Hackers could have accessed everything from encrypted corporate email to online banking apps using vulnerabilities recently found to affect Qualcomm chips in up to 900m Android smartphones and tablets.
Checkpoint, an Israeli cyber security company that found four flaws in the chips, said cyber criminals could encourage users to download a malicious app and escalate its privileges so it can see everything on the device
Qualcomm is the leading maker of chips for advanced smartphones.
Checkpoint said devices using Qualcomm chipsets include the Google Nexus 5X, 6 and 6P, HTC One M9 and HTC 10 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.
Checkpoint informed both Qualcomm and Google, which develops the Android operating system, of the vulnerabilities.
Google said users of Android devices that have downloaded the most recent security updates are protected from three out of the four flaws. The fourth will be included in an upcoming update.
There is no evidence to date that cyber criminals have yet exploited the flaws.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/11b8cabe-5c7c-11e6-a72a-bd4bf1198c63.html#axzz4IjA843Kx