Android System Vulnerability Can Lead to Bitcoin Wallet Theft
Bitcoin developers recently revealed in a blog post that a critical vulnerability in the Android system makes Bitcoin digital wallets on the system susceptible to hacking.
In this blog article, Bitcoin developers stated they had discovered a critical vulnerability in the Android system which could lead to hackers targeting users' Bitcoin wallets. Reports indicated that this vulnerability affects any Bitcoin wallet application on the Android system, including popular Bitcoin wallet apps such as Bitcoin Wallet, blockchain.info wallet, BitcoinSpinner Wallet, and Mycelium Wallet.
Developers noted that the vulnerability lies in the security verification key used by the Android system when generating random number strings. A perfect security verification key helps ensure the safety of users' Bitcoins. However, front-end services like Mt. Gox and Coinbase are not affected because their keys are not generated on the device.
Developers strongly urged users who already use Android e-wallets to generate a new address. This new address should be able to provide a reliable random number generator, then transfer all Bitcoins back into their own wallet.
Meanwhile, information from the BitcoinTalk.org website showed that Bitcoin wallet applications affected by the Android system vulnerability have begun planning security updates.