Samsung Message Guard helps protect your data from the latest threats
The next big threat to mobile security could happen to anyone – but the Samsung Galaxy has a new line of defense.
Did you know that just receiving a picture on your phone can be enough for hackers to gain access to your device? Although everyone knows not to open random links or attachments, it cannot guarantee security as cybercriminals are constantly exploring new attack methods.
“Zero-click” exploits are the newest type of cyber attack and can happen any time an image is received on a phone. A single image can contain malicious code.
Samsung Electronics is constantly looking ahead to anticipate potential threats and develop preventative security measures – such as Samsung Message Guard.
New security for new threats
Imagine this: your phone receives a picture via text and it gently vibrates, or it sits on your bedside table and lights up briefly while you sleep. You haven’t touched your phone, but someone may already be reading your messages, browsing your gallery, and looking at other personal data.
Zero-click exploits are just the latest threat in an era of increased cybercrime targeting user data. One in three consumers worldwide has been the victim of a data breach where their personal information was hacked.[1] Data breaches are increasingly common, more than tripling between 2013 and 2021.[2]
Threats evolve, and so does Samsung’s mobile security. Samsung Galaxy smartphones offer comprehensive security measures with the powerful Samsung Knox platform to protect users from attacks using video and audio formats. Samsung Message Guard takes this security one step further by preventing a new layer of protection for your device, limiting your exposure to invisible threats disguised as image attachments.[3]
The security solution currently works on Samsung Messages and Messages by Google.[4] In line with Samsung’s philosophy of open collaboration, a software update will roll out at a later date so that Samsung Message Guard can also work with third-party messaging apps.
How it works
Samsung Message Guard works as an advanced “sandbox” or a kind of virtual quarantine. When an image file arrives via text, the image is captured and isolated from the rest of your device. This helps prevent malicious code from accessing your device’s files or interacting with the operating system. Samsung Message Guard checks the image file bit by bit and processes it in a controlled environment to ensure it cannot infect the rest of your device.
Simply put, Samsung Message Guard is designed to automatically neutralize any potential threat hiding in image files before they can harm your device. It runs silently and largely invisible in the background, and does not need to be activated by the user.
Samsung Message Guard is the latest forward-looking security solution from Samsung. Samsung Galaxy devices already provide industry-leading security and privacy in other areas, thanks to the award-winning Samsung Knox platform, which provides end-to-end protection across every layer of hardware and software, as well as real-time threat detection.
Availability
Samsung Message Guard is available on the new Samsung Galaxy S23 series. It will be rolled out to other Galaxy smartphones and tablets[5] later this year.
