To tighten the safety of its upcoming version of security chip, Titan M, Google is offering a prize worth one million USD. For the uninitiated, Titan M security chip was introduced with Google Pixel 3 around last year and hence getting upgraded with the next version of its Android flagship phone.
Google Titan M has a microcontroller to verify system modules
It is offering a bounty for making the product flawless while the release is not a new thing for Google. Prioritizing the security in its products, the American multinational technology company has been generous to offer bounty worth fortune for strengthening Android security. But, the latest offer is the highest of all.
Google's Titan security chip houses a low-powered microcontroller which verifies system modules cryptographically to keep the vulnerable data in a separate place from the operating system. Google has been using an identical chip for its servers as well. But as you can expect, the server chip is way more powerful compared to its mobile version used in Pixel-branded smartphones.
Google has become serious about cyber-attacks
However, using a hardware encryption chip is not a new thing at all. ARM SoC's houses an encryption chip dubbed TrustZone to empower its security. Apple is also using a similar security chip in its A-series SoC's, used in iPhones. Google Titan M keeps itself separate from the phone's SoC to make your phone even more secured.
Google is asking to find out a full chain remote code execution exploit with persistence, meaning a vulnerability that lets cybercriminals exploit a device remotely. Google has also claimed to offer fifty per cent more if the person is able to find out an exploit in its latest developer preview edition of Android.
The big bounty hints how serious Google has become about the future of its Pixel devices. With the ever-growing frequency of cyber-attacks, device makers should prioritize security as a significant feature besides specifications, features, and usability.
