Most of the rooting guides out there warn you about possible security threats that may follow after you root any of your Android devices. To help you secure rooted devices from security threats, today we are here with a detailed guide on the same.
For people using Android-powered devices that are rooted, you should already know that once you root any Android device, the device automatically becomes a very easy spot for malware attacks and other security related issues.
If you were unaware of the security issues that your device may face once it is rooted, then today we are here with a detailed article on the same and also ways by which you can easily secure your rooted Android device from any kind of security threats.
Contents
What is Android Rooting?
There are certain rules and restrictions laid down by the developers of Android operating system and your Android device manufacturer so as to ensure proper working of all the hardware components on your Android device without failing or any other issues popping up. At times, this restriction means disallowing you to use certain features that technically your Smartphone can support or at times restricting your device’s performance from its maximum possible capacity.
Android rooting basically refers to bypassing all the restrictions laid down by the manufacturers of your Android device and the Android operating system, so as to get root-level access of the operating system and the hardware running on your Android device.
Why is Rooting Not Recommended?
Rooting of Android devices are not recommended by manufacturers and developers alike due to many reasons, some of which are:
- Rooting of Android devices means that you are tampering the default settings made for your device by your Android device manufacturer. Hence, you will void the warranty of your Android device once you root it.
- Rooting of Android is not as easy as online rooting tutorials make them to be. No matter how well-detailed the guide is, there are still chances that you can damage your device’s software even beyond any point of possible repair. Hence, rooting is not recommended unless you are a professional or you really know what you are up to.
- Yet another main and really important reason why rooting of Android devices is not recommended is that it messes up the security settings of your Android devices making your Android device more prone to attacks that harm your device’s software and thus leak really important and sensitive information of yourself.
- As said above, rooting your Android device means modifying the existing software of your device. Which means, you won’t be receiving most of the official Android updates released directly from Google. These direct updates from Google are really important as they are released quite frequently consisting of bug fixes and solutions for other security related issues which otherwise may posses risk to your Android device.
How to Root Android Devices?
To root any Android device, below are the common procedures that are followed. Please do note that the below steps are not some proper guide to root any Android device. They are just the normal structure of how Android rooting is done:
- You need to download either CWM Recovery or TWRP recovery image files that support your device model.
- You need to unlock the bootloader of your Android device in case it is not unlocked.
- SuperSU app should be installed on your Android device after flashing the custom recovery on your device so as to give and control root access of your device.
How to Secure Rooted Devices from Security Threats?
If you are in search for some ways to secure rooted devices from security threats, then below is how you can achieve the same:
Manage Root Related Access Permissions Carefully:
Once you root any Android device, you are given with all administrator powers of your device. Administrator access is used to increase the functionality of applications that need root access, however, can be used by malicious applications as well.
Therefore, it is very important that you monitor on applications that you give root access to.Manage Applications Permissions:
With over a million applications in the Google Play Store, it cannot be assured that all the applications are safe for your device. Therefore it is important that you only download applications from trusted developers and also read and manage the permissions that applications require for, before downloading them.
Add Firewall Protection on Rooted Devices:
Adding firewall protection is one of the best ways to secure rooted devices from security threats.Firewall is basically a protection or barrier that protects your device and its operating system while accessing the internet. You can set Firewall rules depending on whether your device is connected to Mobile Data or WIFI. So that in case any applications on your device tries for unauthorized access, your device can automatically deny permission for the same.
Use Antivirus Softwares on your Android Device:
The best way to keep any device safe from possible virus attacks is to download and install some very trusted antivirus software on your device. Antivirus software is the best way to protect your Android device from any possible security threats after rooting.
Do Not Uninstall Preinstalled Applications After Rooting:
Most of the Android users out there root their devices in order to uninstall many of the preloaded carrier and other applications. But most of these applications that are preloaded on your Android device has a purpose to serve, and most of the time they are there to protect your device from any future security threats.
Even if you uninstall preloaded applications and then opt to download other third party applications, do make sure that you download them either from the Google Play Store or from any trusted developer.
Install custom ROMs and Kernels Carefully:
Apart from uninstalling preloaded applications, one another main reasons why most of the Android device owners out there prefer to root their Android device is to install custom ROM and kernels on Android.
There are a lot of custom kernels and ROMs available out there that can really improve the functionality, software experience and overall interface of your Android device.
However, the key is to choose these custom ROMs and kernels from trusted developers and sources, so that they do not harm your device in any way. If you download any malicious code containing custom ROM or kernel, you may end up compromising your personal identity and other sensitive information to potential hackers out there.
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Final Words:
Hope you found this well-detailed article on what is rooting, why rooting is not recommended and how to secure rooted devices from security threats helpful. In case you did find this article helpful, it will be highly appreciated if you could share this article on your social media profiles.
