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page.title=Security Enhancements in Android 6.0
@jd:body
<p>Every Android release includes dozens of security enhancements to protect
users. Here are some of the major security enhancements available in Android
6.0:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Runtime Permissions</strong>. Applications request permissions at
runtime instead of being granted at App
install time. Users can toggle permissions on and off for both M and pre-M
applications.</li>
<li><strong>Verified Boot</strong>. A set of cryptographic checks of system
software are conducted prior to
execution to ensure the phone is healthy from the bootloader all the way up to
the operating system.</li>
<li><strong>Hardware-Isolated Security</strong>. New Hardware Abstraction
Layer (HAL) used by Fingerprint API, Lockscreen,
Device Encryption, and Client Certificates to protect keys against kernel
compromise and/or local physical attacks</li>
<li><strong>Fingerprints</strong>. Devices can now be unlocked with just a
touch. Developers can also take
advantage of new APIs to use fingerprints to lock and unlock encryption keys.</li>
<li><strong>SD Card Adoption</strong>. Removable media can be
<em>adopted</em> to a device and expand available storage for
app local data, photos, videos, etc., but still be protected by block-level
encryption.</li>
<li><strong>Clear Text Traffic</strong>. Developers can use a new StrictMode
to make sure their application doesn't use
cleartext.</li>
<li><strong>System Hardening</strong>. Hardening of the system via policies
enforced by SELinux. This offers better
isolation between users, IOCTL filtering, reduce threat of exposed services,
further tightening of SELinux domains, and extremely limited /proc access.</li>
<li><strong>USB Access Control:</strong> Users must confirm to allow USB
access to files, storage, or other
functionality on the phone. Default is now <em>charge only</em> with access
to storage requiring explicit approval from the user.</li>
</ul>