Android Jelly Bean runs on 40.5 percent of smartphones and tablets

Over 40 percent of Android smartphones and tablets are running on a variant of the latest Jelly Bean version of the operating system, according to statistics from the Google Developer forum.
The statistics showed Jelly Bean has overtaken 2.3 Gingerbread to become the most commonly used variant for the first time. The older Gingerbread version is listed as still running on a hefty 33.1 percent of all Android devices, marking a minor one percent decrease on the 34.1 percent figure recorded in July.
Despite the positive move, the Google mobile OS is still struggling to deal with fragmentation, with 6.5 percent running on Android 4.2 and the latest 4.3 version's share being too low to record. Older versions like Android 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich still hold a significant proportion of the Android ecosystem, with the developer stats listing it as running on 23.3 percent of all Android tablets and smartphones.
Such fragmentation is hardly surprising, as data last week revealed there are almost 12,000 unique devices running a variation of Android in the market.
For years now security researchers have listed fragmentation within the Android ecosystem as a key concern, warning it makes it next to impossible to fully secure the platform. This is because the fragmentation and low use of newer versions makes it overly costly and time consuming to release security patches or updates to newly discovered threats.
Such warnings have proven right with numerous vendors listing Android as the most targeted mobile operating system. This phenomenon was showcased earlier in July when Bluebox Security reported finding an Android Master Key vulnerability in 99 percent of all Android devices.
The Master Key bug reportedly affects all smartphones and tablets not running on the latest version of Android. According to security vendor Doctor Web, it is already being actively exploited by cyber criminals.

FBI Develop Hacking Tools To fight Cyber crime Over a Decade

FBI performs hacking activities on special cases that involve child pornography, organized crime, and counterterrorism.
The U.S law-enforcement officials are said to be expanding the use of various tools that are periodically adopted by computer hackers in order to get information on suspects, thus bringing the art of criminal wiretapping to the age of cyber technology, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Naturally, the U.S Federal Bureau of Investigation and other federal agencies have been mum on these capabilities. However, formal documents in court and interviews from those that are involved in the program show new details on the tools used for hacking which includes delivering spyware to PCs and phones by through email or web links. These attacking techniques are then commonly associated with those attacks done by criminals.
Qualified people that are familiar with the programs of the FBI have admitted that the use of hacking tools under court orders have expanded through the times as the agents find a way to keep up with suspected hackers. These hackers employ new communications technology which includes certain types of online chat and encryption generating tools.
The use of these forms of communication that bars agency-run wiretapping is termed as ‘going dark’ as far as law enforcement is concerned.
The agency internally develops some tools for hacking while other tools are purchased from the private sector. Using the technology allows the bureau to activate remotely and surreptitiously the phone’s microphone supported by Google’s Android software. After a successful activation, the bureau can then start recording conversations. The same thing also applies with laptops that have microphones.
The bureau performs hacking activities on special cases that involve child pornography, organized crime, and counterterrorism. It hesitates to use the said tools when they are investigating hackers, fearing that the pursued suspect will find out about it and make it publicly known.
Incidentally, the FBI has been in the hacking tool development project for more than 10 years. It has rarely revealed its techniques to the public whenever it’s on a legal case.