A recently discovered security flaw affecting some 95 percent of Android mobile devices means users are at risk of being hacked just by receiving a short message with malicious intent.
Described as the "worst Android flaw discovered to date," effective solutions to the problem, however, have yet to be provided by major mobile phone carriers, prompting warnings from security professionals about the need for preventive measures.
The security hole on Stagefright, a media playback engine on the Android OS, allows attackers to send a malicious file via the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), which then runs without the user's consent.