Skip to main content

HTC phones: giant security hole discovered

Image used with permission by copyright holder

HTC inadvertently opened a wide security hole in some of its most-recently released phones, like the EVO 3D and EVO 4G. The vulnerability, discovered by the crew at Android Police, potentially exposes a broad range of private user data, including email addresses, GPS locations and phone numbers.

Recommended Videos

The security hole appears to be a residual consequence of HTC’s latest update to the phones, which recently received a new logging tool and seems to be where the problem first showed up.

The problem exists in any app that connects to the Internet, specifically ones that send out the android.permission.INTERNET request, which, according to Android Police, “is normal for any app that connects to the web or shows ads.” Ordinarily, apps that send out this request can only find out whether you are connected to the Internet. With the security hole in place, all apps that send out such a request are found to have access to:

  • list of users accounts, email addresses and sync status for each address
  • last recorded network and GPS location, and a short list of previous such locations
  • phone numbers from the phone log
  • SMS data, including phone numbers and encoded texts
  • system logs (which may give access to additional personal data)

Amazingly, the list goes on and on. Android Police also found that notifications in the notification bar, IP addresses, CPU data, battery info, a list of installed apps and more are also exposed by the security hole. (For the detailed list, visit Android Police‘s post here.)

At present, the only way to patch the hole yourself, HTC user, is to root your phone and manually remove the “APK” file that logs all your actions. Unfortunately, rooting is a process that can be difficult for users who aren’t familiar with the process. But given the serious nature of the security hole, be assured that HTC will release an official patch of its own very soon. Until then, be careful what apps you download to avoid handing over your info to malicious entities.

Andrew Couts
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Features Editor for Digital Trends, Andrew Couts covers a wide swath of consumer technology topics, with particular focus on…
Samsung’s first tri-fold handset could be a game-changer for company
Samsung Flex G display concept in two sizes.

Samsung is reportedly gearing up to use a next-generation silicon-carbon battery in its first-ever tri-fold smartphone, anticipated to launch later this year. This new battery technology boasts a higher energy density than traditional lithium-ion batteries, which can pack more power into a smaller space.

According to leaker PandaFlash (via Android Headlines) while the battery capacity in the tri-fold might remain under 5,000mAh to maintain a slim and lightweight design, the silicon-carbon composition could still deliver comparable battery life to larger conventional batteries. This move aligns with Samsung's ongoing efforts to create thinner Galaxy devices, with rumors suggesting the technology could also feature in the even slimmer Galaxy S26 series expected next year.

Read more
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE might favor power over price
Side profile of the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is expected to launch later this year, offering flagship-level performance and features at a more affordable price. While it's long been expected to launch with the Exynos 2400e chip, a new report suggests Samsung might go with the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 instead, citing production issues with Samsung Foundry.

The report comes from NotebookCheck's Anil Ganti via one of their internal sources. According to the source, Samsung still intends to launch the Galaxy S25 FE with the Exynos 2400e, but the company has a backup plan in case production issues arise, and that's the Dimensity 9400. While Samsung has previously used Mediatek chips in the Galaxy Tab S10 lineup, it poses several notable downsides versus the Exynos.

Read more
I took 4000 photos with Galaxy S25 Ultra, here’s why it’s good and bad
The back of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

The battle for Ultra phones has heated up this year, with every company aiming to launch a phone that can compete with the camera prowess of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Samsung’s latest camera behemoth features four cameras: a 200MP main sensor paired with a 50MP ultrawide and two telephoto lenses. One camera has a 10MP sensor offering 3x optical zoom, while the other has a 50MP sensor complete with 5x optical zoom.

Read more