Google seeks Android security help

In another sign that Google's approach to Android will be more open and transparent than that of other phone OS makers (think Apple and its iPhone) Google's Android security team reached out to the security public at large for help in securing the nascent OS.

In a posting to a full disclosure mailing list, Google's Android security team introduced itself and asked for help identifying and closing vulnerabilities. Google's posting shows it knows how big the task will be to secure Android:

"The Android platform team has put a great deal of work into trying to design a platform that balances our goal of open development and user choice with the unique challenges of securing a consumer-focused mobile system. While we have found and fixed many of our own bugs as well as flaws in other open source projects, we realize that the discovery of additional security issues in a system this large and complex is inevitable."

The team provided an e-mail address for reporting bugs (security_at_android.com), and also provided links to security patch announcements, an Android security discussion group, and a security FAQ.

Once again, Google's approach is in contrast with Apple's more closed, go-it-alone approach with the iPhone. It's a two-edged sword: the more open you are, the more vulnerable you tend to become. But by making overtures to the security community right now, even before the 1.0 version of Android hits the streets, Google is leveraging its open source expertise and working to eliminate problems before they affect consumers at large. It's a good strategy, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

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