Android

Weakness in random numbers generator leaves Android-based digital wallets susceptible, Bitcoin developers warn.

(Credit: CNET)

A critical weakness in Android leaves digital wallets on the mobile platform vulnerable to theft, Bitcoin developers warned Sunday.

The vulnerability occurs in an Android component that generates secure random numbers, developers wrote in a Bitcoin.org blog post. Because the problem is rooted in the operating system, every Bitcoin digital wallet generated by an Android app is affected by the weakness, they said.

They suggest securing existing wallets by creating a new address with a repaired digital random numbers generator and then sending the wallet's balance back to itself.

"If you use an Android wallet then we strongly recommended you upgrade to the latest version available in the Play Store as soon as one becomes available," developers wrote. "Once your wallet is rotated, you will need to contact anyone who has stored addresses generated by your phone and give them a new one."

Wallet updates should be available soon, they assure.

(Via The Verge)