Smartphones should become more secure: here's what manufacturers think of BSI requirements

Samsung considers itself well-positioned

February 29, 2020, 8:30 am Reading time: Two minutes

The Federal Office of Information Security (BSI) requires mobile phone manufacturers to provide devices with longer security patches and typically handle the "update" topic more transparently. Samsung and Huawei were the first manufacturers to comment on BSI requirements.

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The Federal Office of Information Security (BSI) released a catalog of requirements for handset manufacturers earlier this week. This should form the basis for a public discussion of the topic "Smartphone Security". Samsung is now one of the first manufacturers to respond to BSI requirements. The South Korean manufacturer welcomes the federal authorities' initiative.

Samsung is already in a good position

Olaf May, Samsung Electronics ’vice president of IT and mobile communications, said in a statement to Netzwelt:" I personally think that the discussion paper released by BSI on smartphone security is an important basis for raising mobile phone security awareness. "Nevertheless, Samsung is already well-positioned in terms of BSI demand.

The core requirement of BSI is that smartphones should be protected by the overall security architecture and corresponding support. Samsung has achieved this through its security platform, Samsung Knox. "While consumers must confirm the updates provided themselves, the device is basically protected at the factory. Even the federal government relies on Samsung smartphones. To maintain this state, we try to keep apps and
In order to be fast, reliable and work closely with our partners to provide patches for Android security, "May added.

Android phones and tablets: important update schedule theme Each new version of the Android phone operating system includes new features. However, not all smartphones get updates. netzwelt's Android update schedule will tell you which models have updates available or plan to update.

Samsung also considers itself well-positioned in terms of support. "We provide monthly updates for flagship smartphones for at least three years. Otherwise, and quarterly or critical updates after three years. In a business environment where the service life is sometimes longer, we now guarantee up to four years of security updates." May said.

Huawei welcomes debate

For example, the Galaxy S8 in 2017 and the Galaxy S9 in 2018 will still receive security patches every month, while the 4-year-old Galaxy S7 will still provide updates every quarter. BSI asked for five years of monthly security patches in its files. Samsung has not met this requirement, but other manufacturers have long stopped supporting their devices. For example, rival Huawei will no longer provide its security announcements and regular security updates to Huawei P10 starting in 2017. Apple is the world's third-largest mobile phone maker, and unlike its Android competitors, it has typically provided five years of updates to its devices. However, these operations are not performed on a monthly basis, but on a case-by-case basis.

Huawei hopes to study BSI's recommendations and then express itself in a detailed statement. But, overall, the Federal Office's initiative is welcome. The manufacturer said in a statement to Netzwelt: "We welcome and support BSI to develop a unified security standard." Establishing a recognized security standard is an important measure to eliminate future cyber risks and ensure a high level of security.

Netzwelt has asked other phone manufacturers to comment on the BSI requirements. If there are other statements, we will update the text accordingly.

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