Security News > 2020 > July > In the market for a second-hand phone? Check it's still supported by the vendor – almost a third sold are not

In the market for a second-hand phone? Check it's still supported by the vendor – almost a third sold are not
2020-07-31 08:30

An investigation by consumer watchdog Which? has found that nearly a third of all phones sold on second-hand sites are no longer supported by the vendor, leaving punters at risk of being hacked.

The publication found that 31 per cent of all phones sold via CeX no longer receive security patches.

As an alternative, there could be a market solution that sees punters fork out for additional updates beyond the predetermined lifespan of a product, similar to how Microsoft sells extended support for old versions of Windows.

Javvad Malik, security awareness advocate at KnowBe4, argued that the onus is on manufacturers and resellers to ensure punters are aware of the risks of using unsupported kit.

Liviu Arsene, global cybersecurity researcher at BitDefender, added that those who buy second-hand devices are arguably more motivated by cost, and may lack the technical nous to identify and understand security threats.


News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2020/07/31/nearly_a_third_of_secondhand/