Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. Android
  4. Mobile
  5. Legacy Archives

Google acknowledges critical Bitcoin flaw in Android (and bug fixes are released)

By
Add as a preferred source on Google

Do any of you own any bitcoins? Fractions of a bitcoin? We’d love to know if you do, and issue you a lovely little warning: if you’re holding any bitcoins on an Android phone or tablet, you may want to store your stash elsewhere. Because of a bug in the way Android generates random numbers, those who use Android devices are at risk of digital theft, according to Bitcoin.org.

Updated on 8-15-2013 by Jeffrey Van Camp: Alex Klyubin, a Google Security Engineer on the Android team has acknowledged that this is a legitimate flaw in Android. The problem, as often seems to be the case, is Java.”Java Cryptography Architecture (JCA) for key generation, signing, or random number generation may not receive cryptographically strong values on Android devices due to improper initialization of the underlying PRNG,” said Klyubin. Translated out of geek speak, that means that Android is, as we thought, not generating random numbers correctly. 

Recommended Videos

You can find some patch code from Google on its official Android blog. We’ve also updated the links below because patches for all wallets have now been issued.

Article originally published on 8-12-2013.

How to know if you’re affected: There appears to be a flaw in Google’s Android operating system, making it impossible for the OS to generate “secure random numbers,” which are needed to encrypt Bitcoin transactions.. This affects those who use Bitcoin wallet apps like Bitcoin Wallet, Blockchain.info, BitcoinSpinner, and Mycelium Wallet. Some apps, like Coinbase and Mt Gox are still secure because they don’t rely on the Android OS to generate their numbers. Every one of these apps now has a patch available to fix this vulnerability, which you can find here: Mycelium Wallet patch, Bitcoin Wallet patch, BitcoinSpinner patch, Blockchain.info patch.

How to to re-secure your wallet: To protect yourself, Bitcoin.org recommends you do a “key rotation” to your bitcoins. Download the fix for your Wallet app in the Google Play Store as soon as it’s available, generate a new address with the repaired random number generator, and then send your bitcoins from yourself to yourself. If anyone has “stored addresses” from your device previous to the fix, you need to contact them and give them a new one. You ca also send your bitcoins to your computer until you fix up your Android wallet.

We’re hoping those of you with actual bitcoins will understand that process better than we do. Currently, we’re bitcoin broke, so we cannot test this fix. 

If you own any bitcoins, let us know below. Have you purchased anything with them? Why do you like or dislike the platform? We’re a “bit” curious.

Jeffrey Van Camp
Jeffrey Van Camp
Former Deputy Editor
As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…
Topics
5 Amazon Prime Day charging accessory deals I’d grab before they sell out
From a wireless charging station to a high-capacity power bank, these five deals can make keeping your devices topped up a whole lot easier.
Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

Charging accessories aren't the most exciting gadgets to shop for, but the right ones can make a surprisingly big difference to your setup. Whether you want one station to handle all your devices, a wireless charger for your desk or nightstand, a power bank that can keep your laptop running, or a single brick capable of charging five devices at once, Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days has some worthwhile options. I've sifted through the barrage of off-brand junk to find five charging accessories that are worth your attention, with discounts that make them even more tempting.

Anker Nano 7-in-1 Charging Station – $59.98 (25% off)

Read more
A US state just approved an AI doctor. For now, it’ll only prescribe acne cures.
Aside from acne, Nolla's AI can also handle redness, fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and dark spots, and under-eye bags.
Nolla Derm AI doctor app.

The first AI doctor is here. Despite all the skepticism and risks associated with AI models going haywire, the state of Utah just approved Nolla Health, a company that is providing an AI healthcare expert capable of writing prescriptions without any human in the chain. For now, it will only write acne prescriptions for Utah residents over 18 years of age, willing to pay a token monthly subscription fee that's lighter than your Spotify bill.

The big push here is that the Nolla Derm app will reduce the costs of medical consultation, save users the hassle of clinic visits, and take out the problem of waitlisting from the entire healthcare equation. “Unlike telehealth platforms that use AI only to collect information before handing patients off to clinicians, Nolla's AI system is designed to independently issue initial prescriptions within tightly defined, physician-approved treatment protocols,” writes the company. 

Read more
Google may be teaching Pixel Search to think one step ahead
Pixel Search could soon help finish the job after finding what you need
Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

Google ships its phones with Pixel Search that is built to save you from digging through your phone to find an app, email, photo, and more. Now, it appears to be taking this process even further by trying to figure out what you want to do with the results.

An APK teardown of Pixel Search version 1.0.983036833 by Android Authority has uncovered an unreleased feature called Gemini-powered suggestions. Strings inside the app describe it as a way to surface relevant information alongside Gemini-suggested actions that can help you “finish a task faster.”

Read more