When the question arises of how to transfer a file from one Android smartphone to another, there are usually too many answers for an ordinary user. Moreover, most of these answers are a listing of applications that have the ability to transfer materials between devices. But it is not always safe and the problems that have arisen with ShareIt are further proof of this. When we see such news, this is another reason to talk about how to transfer files between devices quickly and safely. Moreover, since recently, Android has something that allows you to do this by standard means, but for some reason users still continue to give preference to third-party applications.
Any kind of remote file transfer can be dangerous.
Dangerous file transfer application
The popular file-sharing application, ShareIt, has indeed been criticized for several vulnerabilities that, if exploited, could allow attackers to steal your data. We can say that the photos of cats that most users send to each other are not needed by anyone but them, but the issue of security is much more acute, and it’s just that photos are not the worst thing to lose.
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In the meantime, in the ShareIt vulnerability report, Trend Micro researchers stated that the vulnerabilities can be used to leak sensitive user data and execute arbitrary code with SHAREit permissions using malicious code or an application. They can also potentially lead to remote control of the device. This is much more serious than just the loss of transferred files.
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Can I give permissions to applications
Most of the dangers are associated with the fact that ShareIt acts as a kind of file manager. The app allows users to share files with other users remotely and therefore it has many permissions. It should be able to see all your files and applications, and be able to access the network. All this turns into a huge security hole through which anything can fly to attackers.
A major issue is that ShareIt can now transfer files to third-party applications that request them, even those that are not intended to be shared. Trend Micro notes that any developer with their own software can get temporary access to user data. As a result, “all files in the / data / data / folder are available for free access.” According to the researchers, whoever has access to these files can use this access to launch remote code execution.
Any application that gets a lot of rights can be dangerous.
Trend Micro also noted that ShareIt was vulnerable while running. When downloading apps for installation via ShareIt’s own app installer, an attacker can replace the downloaded APK with the APK of their choice, and ShareIt will install it anyway. After the malware is installed, the data of the target user (and not necessarily just one) can be stolen, like websites created for phishing.
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Trend Micro researchers said the vulnerabilities were likely unintentional, but also noted that they had reported these vulnerabilities to a manufacturer who has not yet responded. Some time after the discovery of the vulnerability, the materials were made public, as users should know what they risk when they choose such a method of transferring data. The consequences of a device infection may not be detected immediately, but the consequences will be more than serious.
How to transfer files from phone to phone
While it is not a crime to have a security hole, ShareIt’s lack of responsiveness and awareness is a bit worrying. If you are an Android user and transfer files through ShareIt, then it is better to pay attention to other means of exchange. For example, to transfer files via Telegram or via the Nearby Share function built into Android recently. It is already supported by a huge number of smartphones, and further its presence will only increase.
Better to transfer files directly from one smartphone to another.
Nearby Share lets you share apps and other files. And most importantly, you don’t have to worry about safety. At a minimum, the transmission is carried out at the system level, and the recipient will receive exactly what the sender wanted to convey. If you’ve used Apple AirDrop, it’s about the same.
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I would not recommend using third-party applications at all. Moreover, they are gradually being blocked in different countries of the world. For example, ShareIt is already blocked in India, and similar restrictions are not far off in other markets
