For the past alarm system quotes of Android software into mobile phones has taken over the contemporary market. Summative figures drawn from a myriad of research show that at least 52.8% of smartphone users own an Android device with the numbers increasing by the day [1]. This inadvertently means that with the rise in numbers comes the rise in attacks and threats to the operating systems [2]. Prior to highlighting the various issues faced by Android systems, one has to understand the inherent structure of the software addendum to their levels of protection and system architecture [3].
Android developers have focused on ensuring that the security architecture of the systems is dependent on a Linux Based Kernels which ensures for the isolation of applications from each other in order to ensure for cohesion [4]. The isolation technique requires signatures and various permissions in order to run accordingly with the security model being intricate by design. The intricacies are developed in a manner through which the user is able to revamp and change the preferences as they deem fit. An example can be given by going through the set security settings so as to change the preferences as the user deems fit. Most times, the tasks may seem to be daunting although the Android operating system comes intact with descriptions on how one can change the settings [5].
Various scholars have presented musings that are solely focused on how such attacks can be mitigated which sets the precedent for this research. The most popular scheme of mitigating the attacks is through the rooting of the devices which helps unlock various features hidden on Android devices for better user experience [6]. It is imperative for users however to understand that rooting an Android device comes with its own demerits and ethical issues with the topmost being that the warranty is rendered null and void. In most cases also, the Android device can become unresponsive in a situation called “bricking” [7] [8].
The subsequent tenets of the paper will follow through giving a description of the security architecture, the security model of the android systems secure and the user security roles. The fifth section highlights the efficacy of the Google services systems and how they mitigate the inconsistencies that come with the system. The 6th section lays a focus on rooting and its efficacy addendum to its demerits with conclusions being accorded in the final chapter.