How Privoro and Samsung’s Partnership is Ensuring Secure Control of Smartphone Radios and Sensors

Privoro and Samsung Announce Partnership to Provide High-Assurance Mobile Security Solution

Introduction

On May 8, 2023, Privoro, a renowned mobile security hardware company, announced a new partnership with Samsung Electronics to provide high-assurance control over the radios, sensors, and other peripherals within a commercial mobile device. This new capability aims to provide a critical shield against invisible threats posed by modern cyber weapons.

The Partnership

The partnership involves a hardware-to-hardware integration between Privoro‘s SafeCase security device and Galaxy’s Hardware Device Manager (HDM), which will enable SafeCase to control the phone’s hardware peripherals. This integration, which uses two different isolated systems, ensures that a peripheral’s state is correctly enforced. It also provides certainty that the phone isn’t vulnerable to low-level attacks and can’t be used for active espionage.

Two-System Approach

The two-system approach utilized by Privoro and Samsung represents an important evolution in mobile computing. The security benefits provided by Samsung Knox are greatly strengthened through the off-device hardware isolation provided by Privoro‘s SafeCase. The partnership aims to give back control to individuals and organizations at risk of spyware attacks.

Addressing Security Gaps

The new capability is designed to address the security gaps created by spyware attacks that leverage the compromised phone’s microphones and cameras to spy on the targeted individual and their environment. Additionally, the wireless radios in the phone can be utilized as both attack vectors and data exfiltration avenues. The spyware can bypass the user’s radio and sensor selections, creating a security gap that the Galaxy-SafeCase solution can now address.

Cellular Radio Control

Privoro‘s SafeCase customers who purchase the HDM integration initially will be able to control the cellular radio in the Galaxy S22 paired to their SafeCase. Later this year, control of additional peripherals will become available. The ability to enable and disable radios in hardware gives users a powerful new way to stop radio-specific location tracking with high certainty while still using other capabilities on their phone.

Conclusion

The new partnership between Privoro and Samsung is a major breakthrough in the mobile security sector. The new capability will enable individuals and organizations targeted by cyberattacks to mitigate the key risks specific to mobile devices. The hardware-to-hardware integration between Privoro‘s SafeCase security device and Galaxy’s Hardware Device Manager (HDM) will provide high-assurance control over the radios, sensors, and other peripherals within a commercial mobile device. This partnership represents a critical turning point for security-conscious organizations, including defense and research agencies within the Federal government, who can now safely lean into commercial mobile devices for improved agility and productivity.

Keyreplaces: Mobile Security-Privoro, Samsung, Partnership, Smartphone, Radios, Sensors, SecureControl.