Applications that used the random number generator within Android could be at risk Google is distributing patches for a cryptography flaw in Android that may affect hundreds of thousands of applications.The patches have been passed to partners belonging to the Open Handset Alliance, a trade group dedicated to development of Android, wrote Alex Klyubin, an Android security engineer.Affected applications are those that rely on the pseudo random number generator (PRNG) within the Java Cryptography Architecture or “directly invoke the system-provided OpenSSL PRNG without explicit initialization on Android,” Klyubin wrote.Random numbers are used in part to generate secure encryption keys and for other cryptography processes. In some cases, the numbers were not “cryptographically strong values,” Klyubin wrote. Application developers are advised to “evaluate whether to regenerate cryptographic keys or other random values previously generated,” he wrote.The flaw became widely known after a Bitcoin developer group warned Sunday that it made bitcoins stored in some Android software clients vulnerable to theft. According to a post on a popular Bitcoin forum on Saturday, several users reported they were victims of theft, with their coins sent to an address that had amassed 55.82 bitcoins, worth around US$6,200 at market price on Thursday.In the case of the Bitcoin clients, the random numbers are used to formulate transaction IDs that are entered into the blockchain, the public ledger of Bitcoin transactions.If the same random number is used in some transactions associated with the same Bitcoin address, it could allow an attacker to figure out the private key. With the private key, an attacker could steal someone’s bitcoins.At least four Android Bitcoin clients — Bitcoin Wallet, Blockchain, Mycelium Bitcoin Wallet and BitcoinSpinner — were fixed just before Google’s patch release.Symantec found that as many as 360,000 other Android applications rely on the component in a similar fashion as the Bitcoin software applications.Send news tips and comments to jeremy_kirk@idg.com. Follow me on Twitter: @jeremy_kirk Related content news UK government plans 2,500 new tech recruits by 2025 with focus on cybersecurity New apprenticeships and talent programmes will support recruitment for in-demand roles such as cybersecurity technologists and software developers By Michael Hill Sep 29, 2023 4 mins Education Industry Education Industry Education Industry news UK data regulator orders end to spreadsheet FOI requests after serious data breaches The Information Commissioner’s Office says alternative approaches should be used to publish freedom of information data to mitigate risks to personal information By Michael Hill Sep 29, 2023 3 mins Government Cybercrime Data and Information Security feature Cybersecurity startups to watch for in 2023 These startups are jumping in where most established security vendors have yet to go. By CSO Staff Sep 29, 2023 19 mins CSO and CISO Security news analysis Companies are already feeling the pressure from upcoming US SEC cyber rules New Securities and Exchange Commission cyber incident reporting rules don't kick in until December, but experts say they highlight the need for greater collaboration between CISOs and the C-suite By Cynthia Brumfield Sep 28, 2023 6 mins Regulation Data Breach Financial Services Industry Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe