Summary
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Android 16 will block new USB connections when the phone is locked, protecting it from physical attacks.
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This feature works by deactivating the signaling of USB data until the phone is unlocked.
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Other safety features such as application breeding restrictions are expected, improving the overall protection of peripherals.
Safety experts have told us for years to protect our phones while invoicing in public. Most of us just rolled up and mumbled “Okay mom”. Then we rushed to connect our devices to the first clean charger that we saw at the Local Starbucks. Well, Android 16 wants to help us practice safety
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Google adds new feature to Android 16 which blocks new USB device connections while your phone is locked (via Android authority). This will help protect your device from physical attacks using USB devices and could prevent malicious actors from inserting USB devices where they should not. Talk about a real plug block.
Here is how the USB locking protection of Android 16 works
The advanced protection mode deactivates the signaling of USB data when the device is locked. The load is still working, but all devices (keyboards, flash discs, etc.) will be blocked until the phone is unlocked. Security experts call this a USB condom. Usually it requires the installation of third -party software so far.
APM uses a software approach that Google introduced for the first time with Android 12. It was extended with the Android 15 locking mode. The big change that we will see in Android 16 automatically blocks new USB devices, without the need for the user to do anything. A notification will warn you of “suspicious USB activity” if a device tries to connect while the phone is locked.
It also deactivates the farming of applications, restricts 2G connectivity, applies the memory marking extension (MTE) for applications and blocks public Wi-Fi. Google has not yet deployed an easy rocking for this, but the Apk disassembly of Android Authority shows that the features already work in Android 16 Beta 4. It will not be long.
No more fear of the next morning (with your phone)
Android 16 will not disconnect a device if you have already connected it to your phone. However, it will block new connections. This means you don’t have to worry about your
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Suddenly it lacks its monthly update because someone installed a virus on it while you load it in this summary bar last week.
Once the advanced protection mode becomes accessible to the user, we will all practice the security load.
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