Verizon says the company is investigating whether a flaw in a key component of the company’s phone-and-data-capability solution could allow an attacker to steal the data from your device.
Verizon issued a statement Friday that says the vulnerability in its data-siphoning system has been fixed, and that the company will now look for “immediate remediation of the issue.”
Verizon says it is “actively reviewing and working with our customers” to address the issue.
Verified Verizon phone-sipping systems, which enable Verizon customers to get phone numbers and call logs from the company and share them with Verizon, are a key part of the carrier’s network.
Verify your Verizon devicesIf you get a new Verizon phone, it can be installed with a “Verify Verizon” app, which will verify that the device has the correct device-sending and data-transfer permissions.
If you have a Verizon SIM card, Verizon will also send a copy of your SIM card to your Verizon account, which you can then use to download the app.
Verification can take minutes, so be sure to check your Verizon phone’s settings for “Verification” or “Verified Devices.”
Verizon is working with industry-standard vendors to update its data sharing system, but the company says it won’t do so until after it has verified that it has “a complete and complete set of devices” that are all “fully and securely configured.”
Verizon has also said it will release a fix for the flaw in its next software update.
Verifying your Verizon phones is easier now than everVerify any deviceYou can verify the validity of your device’s device and its data connection with the company by downloading a free app, the Wall Street Times reports.
Verifier will tell you what data is available and where it’s coming from, including when it was last downloaded.
It will also tell you how long your device is stored, and the type of network that it is connected to.
If you have an iPhone, you can also verify a Verizon device’s SIM card and verify its data transmission and data recovery.
Verifications will take up to 30 minutes, but you can verify an iPhone by visiting the iPhone app, opening the app, and tapping the Verify iPhone button.
Verifiers are not designed to be tamper-proof, but some Verizon-specific apps can help you do just that.
Verifing your Verizon SIM cards, though, is a good idea.
The Wall Street Post reports that Verizon is working on software that would help the company verify SIM cards on phones that are no longer in service, but it’s unclear how soon that will be available.
The company also says it will not issue a fix until it has confirmed the validity and integrity of the SIM card on the device.