Samsung TouchWiz vulnerability will wipe some phones after just clicking a

By +Frank B.
in Back Page News

 Share

Recommended Posts

Grand Master

+Frank B. Subscriber²

Posted
  • Subscriber²
Posted

Samsung TouchWiz vulnerability will wipe some phones after just clicking a link

Samsung is finding itself in a spot of bother this morning, as a particular piece of HTML code has emerged that, when clicked, instantly resets the Galaxy S II ? and potentially other Android devices running the TouchWiz UI. Posted by Pau Oliva earlier today, the code was initially thought to affect the current flagship Galaxy S III model, however multiple negative reports and our own testing have shown that it only brings up the phone's dialer, failing to execute the full reset without user intervention. The latter is really the issue here: Samsung's software changes atop stock Android are allowing the GS II to automatically dial the hard reset code, taking away a critical aspect of user control.

The Galaxy S II is the only device we're certain is affected by the problem so far, though Tweakers.net reports successfully recreating it on the Galaxy S Advance as well. We're in touch with Samsung to get a better idea of the full scale and depth of this vulnerability.

Update: we have now managed to test this on an AT&T Samsung Galaxy S III and have confirmed it works on the device. Samsung tells us it's "looking into" the reports.

Source: The Verge

Grand Master

+Frank B. Subscriber²

Posted
  • Author
  • Subscriber²
Posted

did apple pay those people?

Heaven forbid there is an actual vulnerability in a Samsung product. No, let's blame the evil empire Apple.

Fail comment is fail, remixedcat.

The front page beat you to it, Meph. :p

Meh, I'm not overly concerned. So we just need to avoid TouchWiz, right?

... whoops, I swear I checked the front page and didn't see it. Mea culpa.

Grand Master

techbeck

Posted
Posted

Samsung Galaxy S III, designed for humans exploits.

Like there isnt exploits on all other systems as well. There will be a patched released for TW as soon as Samsung readys a patch for it. They were quick to release other patches/changes in TW before...so lets hope they are quick here as well.

The front page beat you to it, Meph. :p

Meh, I'm not overly concerned. So we just need to avoid TouchWiz, right?

Wish Samsung would wake up and just ditch TW.

Grand Master

tsupersonic

Posted
Posted

It's not just Samsung phones (with Touchwiz)...

Update: This issue is, unsurprisingly, a lot more nuanced than the video here lets on. The bug is based in the stock Android browser, is in fact quite old, and has been patched in more recent builds of Android - this is probably why Nexus devices running the most recent OTAs are unaffected. The fact is, this is not a Samsung problem, it's an old Android problem that has been known about for some time. More recent versions of Android avoid the wipe issue, but unpatched devices (like some Samsung phones) may still be vulnerable.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/09/25/new-exploit-could-force-factory-reset-on-many-samsung-phones-running-touchwiz/

Grand Master

techbeck

Posted
Posted

Did I say otherwise? No.

But yet you only mentioned Samsung.

We all know you dont like android and if all you are going to do is make comments like "Samsung Galaxy S III, designed for humans exploits." here and then again on TFP, then keep it to yourself.

Grand Master

.Neo

Posted
Posted

But yet you only mentioned Samsung.

That's because this thread involves Samsung only. Let me hold up a mirror for a second or two: Did you mention how most, if not all, major companies tend to spin things around if it suits their needs and thus can use it to their advantage? No, you did not. You purely talked about how Apple does it. I suggest you at least try to drop the display of double standards before calling others out. If not take a page from your own book and simply keep the remarks to yourself.

We all know you dont like android and if all you are going to do is make comments like "Samsung Galaxy S III, designed for humans exploits." here and then again on TFP, then keep it to yourself.

I have very little against Android in its vanilla state. In fact I recently bought my mom a Nexus 7 as a birthday present to take with her on holiday. Very nice device, especially for its price. Too bad huh?

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Posts

    • Sparkle 2.20.1

      By Copernic · Posted

      Sparkle 2.20.1 by Razvan Serea Sparkle is a free, open-source Windows optimization tool designed to make your PC faster, cleaner, and more private. With Sparkle, you can easily debloat Windows by removing unnecessary apps and services, disable Microsoft tracking to enhance privacy, and apply performance tweaks to boost speed. Its cleaner removes junk and temporary files, while every change is safe and fully reversible. Sparkle also features a modern, user-friendly interface with automatic updates, making system maintenance simple. Explore over 39 tweaks, from disabling telemetry and hibernation to optimizing network and game settings, all aimed at customizing and enhancing your Windows experience. Sparkle supports Windows 10 and 11. Sparkle 2.20.1 changelog: You can now change the Animation Direction from Up, Left, or Off. Added configurable animation direction (Up, Left, Off) for improved accessibility Added TTL caching to the system info backend Refactored tweak application flow to await NvidiaProfileInspector Improved IPC listener cleanup to correctly remove specific listeners Fixed online status not updating after successful network requests Updated system info tests to support backend caching Removed electron-toolkit utils dependency in favor of internal is.dev helper Fixed unwanted files and folders being included in application bundles Download: Sparkle 2.20.1 | Portable | ~100.0 MB (Open Source) Links: Sparkle Website | Github | Screenshot Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • The best controller for XBOX and PC is down to the lowest price

      By Figure 8 Dash · Posted

      Never used the G7 Pro, but I've never had a good experience with that style of d-pad and fighting games.
    • Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 Ergonomic Office Chair review: The Ikea of chairs

      By Figure 8 Dash · Posted

      And I just bought a seat cushion for my mesh chair. The chair feels nice but the first time I sat in it with boxers, I realized I don't like the feel of mesh on my legs. 😂
    • This Dell 27 inch 4K 120Hz IPS monitor is really cheap after a very long time

      By jordanspringer · Posted

      "This Dell 27 inch 4K 120Hz IPS monitor is really cheap after a very long time" ... Lol.
    • This Dell 27 inch 4K 120Hz IPS monitor is really cheap after a very long time

      By hellowalkman · Posted

      This Dell 27 inch 4K 120Hz IPS monitor is really cheap after a very long time by Sayan Sen Recently we covered a really good deal on an AMD RX 9070 three-fan model that's available at slightly above its MSRP. If you are looking for a GPU for 1440p gaming that's around the performance of the Nvidia RTX 5070 you should most definitely check it out. Let's say that you are looking for a monitor to pair that up with too. The Samsung 49" G9 curved QD-OLED superultrawide is a good option that can provide an immersive experience. However despite being a very good deal currently (at $855), it may seem unaffordable to you, or you may simply not want to spend as much on a monitor. In that case Dell's S2725QS can be a very good option as it's on sale at the moment for its lowest price in over six months (purchase link under the specs table down below). The big highlight of the Dell S2725QS is its 27-inch IPS panel with a 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD) resolution, offering a high pixel density that can make text appear sharper while also providing plenty of screen space for productivity and media consumption. The display supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz through both HDMI and DisplayPort, making it suitable not only for everyday desktop use but also for smoother gaming and scrolling. AMD FreeSync Premium support is included as well, helping reduce screen tearing during gaming sessions. The screen has fairly good brightness and color accuracy so you can use it for general work purpose, though photo/video editing is probably not going to be the best match for this. The technical specs of the Dell S2725QS are given in the table below: Specification Value Viewable Screen Size 27 in (68.58 cm) Screen Mode 4K UHD Maximum Resolution 3840 × 2160 Maximum Preset Resolution 3840 × 2160 @ 120 Hz Standard Refresh Rate 120 Hz Panel Technology In-plane Switching (IPS) Backlight Technology LED Edgelight System Pixel Density 163 PPI Response Time 8 ms GTG, 5 ms GTG, 4 ms GTG Horizontal Viewing Angle 178° Vertical Viewing Angle 178° Brightness 350 cd/m² (nits) Native Contrast Ratio 1500:1 Color Support 1.07 Billion Colors Color Gamut 99% sRGB (CIE 1931) Adaptive Sync AMD FreeSync Premium HDCP Support Yes Mount Type Panel Mount VESA Mount 100 × 100 mm Maximum Height Adjustment 13 cm Tilt -5° to 21° Swivel -30° to 30° Pivot ±90° Stand Adjustments Tilt, Swivel, Height, Pivot Glass Hardness 3H Horizontal Frequency 27–270 kHz (DisplayPort 1.4 / HDMI 2.1) Vertical Frequency 48–120 Hz (DisplayPort 1.4 / HDMI 2.1) Video Inputs 2 × HDMI 2.1 (HDCP 1.4 & 2.3), 1 × DisplayPort 1.4 (HDCP 1.4 & 2.3) Operating Temperature 0°C to 40°C Storage Temperature -20°C to 60°C Operating Humidity 10%–80% (Non-condensing) Storage Humidity 5%–95% (Non-condensing) Get it at the link below: Dell S2725QS 27-inch 4K 120Hz IPS monitor: $218.49 (Sold and Shipped by Amazon US) (Was: $280) Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases

  • Recent Achievements

    • Conversation Starter
      jessse3334 earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • Reacting Well
      JuvenileDelinquent earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • One Month Later
      Excellence2025 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      Excellence2025 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      flexorcist earned a badge
      Week One Done

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      499
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      245
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      153
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      84
    5. 5
      macoman
      64
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!