Beware! Apps on your handset are vulnerable to FREAK attack

Several Android and iOS applications are vulnerable to FREAK attacks that were revealed two weeks ago, said a security vendor. The vendor said that the dangerous attack is capable of compromising encrypted data, PC World reported. The apps have not yet been patched against the FREAK attack, short for Factoring attack, on RSA-EXPORT Keys, which was revealed on March 3.

FireEye, a computer security company, said in its blog that the unpatched apps, which were not identified, fell under the categories of finance, communication, shopping, business and medicine. Although Google and Apple have patched their mobile operating systems, yet many apps compatible to them need to be upgraded.

FireEye found that 1,228 out of 10,985 analyzed Android applications were still vulnerable to the attack as opposed to 771 of 14,079 apps on the iOS. Only seven apps on iOS 8.2 were still vulnerable to the attack. FireEye wrote that the FREAK attack has posed severe threats to the security and privacy of mobile apps and encouraged app developers and website admins to fix the issue as soon as possible.