Android 14 introduces first-of-its-kind cellular connectivity security features - Google Security Blog

Posted by Roger Piqueras Jover, Yomna Nasser, and Sudhi Herle Android is the first mobile operating system to introduce advanced cellular...

Key points:

Android 14 introduces advanced cellular security measures, becoming the first OS to do so.
2G support can now be disabled in managed devices to counter security vulnerabilities associated with false base stations and downgrading attacks.
A new feature disables support for null-ciphered cellular connections, enhancing communication privacy.
Android 12 had already introduced a modem-level 2G disabling feature for Pixel 6 and other Android devices.
Android's efforts to enhance cellular security encompass collaborations with internal teams, academic groups, and industry standards bodies.

1 yr. ago

14 comments

This is handy. You have been able to disable 2G by dialing *#*#4636#*#* > phone information for a while, but thats not well known
- Is there a downside to disabling 2G?
  
  Depending on where you live, 2G may be the only option in some places due to much better range than all other generations. Also while driving for example, your phone may need to connect to a 2G base temporarily if there is a gap between the range of the 5G ones, so you may get calls dropping randomly
  
  If somehow you are in a place with no better signal than 2G, you cannot make calls/send SMS if you cannot join 2G cells.
  
  But it is very rare to end up in such a situation these days.
  
  I would say there is. Many providers are disabling 3G nowadays and 5G is not available for all yet, so your phone essentially uses 2G and 4G. Now, imagine disabling 2G and calling someone on a moving vehicle...
  
  Nope. As long as your phone is using VOLTE your fine. You can enable LTE/NR if you have a 5G phone or LTE only if its just an LTE device
My Motorola phone has been able to disable 2G (running Android 13) since at least a couple of months ago, when I got it. Anything else interesting in the update?

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