Samsung: Our responsibility to protect users doesn’t end once a device is in their hands – Times of India

Smartphones today have moved much beyond being mere communication devices. They carry some of our most valuable information, this includes personal IDs; financial details; location and health data; private and professional conversations; app usage and lots more. While this data may differ from user to user, some of this is sure to be there on every smartphone user’s phone.
This evolution of smartphone has also made hackers aware that these devices can serve as their entry point to users’ identity, finances and personal accounts. Consequently making them increase their attacks on mobile devices through malware, phishing and other dangerous techniques. That’s why it has become crucial to keep data on smartphones safe and secure. Samsung‘s vice president and head of security, Dr Seungwon Shin, recently spoke about the company’s commitment to smartphone data security during a media round table.
“At Samsung, security is at the centre of every decision we make, from the second we start planning a new product to the moment it hits the shelves. We stand for openness, rather than keeping people locked in a closed ecosystem. Openness doesn’t expose us to greater risk. It makes us stronger and offers the best, most secure experience possible. And we know very well that the only way for openness to work is to gain people’s trust. To keep them safe every step of the way by protecting what matters most to them and giving them full control over their privacy,” said Shin.
‘Starts with security’
Shin said that there cannot be privacy without strong security. “The only way to truly protect users’ privacy is to make sure their data never gets into the wrong hands. That’s why everything we do is to keep them and their information secure. And why we’re constantly innovating and partnering with the companies and people we know and trust to add extra layers of security and offer the best protection possible,” added Shin.
He then spoke about how Samsung’s collaborations with various companies aim to strengthen the digital experience of its users. “Samsung believes there is strength in collaboration and is leading the industry in creating a safe digital experience by partnering with trusted companies like Google, chipset manufacturers and mobile operators to create the highest standards for security possible, and ensure our users get security updates as quickly as possible,” he elaborated. For those unaware, Samsung now offers four generations of One UI and Android OS upgrades to select Galaxy devices.
Knox, TEEgris and “security for all”
Shin then went on to talk about how Samsung binds software and apps’ security with device’s hardware. Giving example, he talked about Samsung’s security solution Knox. “Know started off as an enterprise security solution, and quickly evolved into a holistic defence-grade security platform that provides true end-to-end protection throughout our products’ entire lifecycle, for consumers and businesses alike,” he said. “Knox Vault provides an extra layer of protection for critical information like biometric authenticators and cryptographic keys. It combines our Secure Processor with a new Secure Memory Chip to isolate sensitive data from the rest of the device, including its OS, so that it never gets into the wrong hands.” Shin also mentioned TEEgris, an operating system for security that the company claims allows partners to use hardware cryptography, encryption and access controls for a secure app experience.
While concluding the round table, Shin had an important message for Samsung device users: “Samsung’s responsibility to protect consumers doesn’t end once a device is in their hands. We give them control over their data with the Privacy Dashboard that gives them full visibility over who has access to their data and how it is being used and let them share their personal information on their own terms with Private Share.” as concluding remarks.