14 DAY TRIAL // Intel has decided to kill its Remote Keyboard app for Android after security researchers discovered three different vulnerabilities exposing user devices.
The application, which according to the official Google Play Store listing was “designed for Intel NUC and Compute Stick devices running Windows 8.1 or Windows 10,” and allowed for “remote control of your mouse and keyboard with your smartphone or tablet” has already been pulled and is no longer available for download.
But as BC notes, it was a rather popular app among Intel customers, with more than 500,000 installs and a total rating of 3.8.
Three security flaws discovered
The vulnerabilities found in the app, however, enabled elevation of privilege and allowed an attacker connected to the same network to inject keystrokes as a local user or into another keyboard session. Finally, a third bug allows an authorized local attacker to execute arbitrary code as a privileged user, so a cybercriminal would be able to deploy more malware and then get access to the device.
By the looks of things, Intel didn’t want to spend too much time addressing these vulnerabilities and instead decided to abandon the app entirely, now telling users to remove it as soon as possible to remain protected. All versions of the application are vulnerable to attacks, and without a patch, nothing can be done to remain protected.
“Intel has issued a Product Discontinuation notice for Intel Remote Keyboard and recommends that users of the Intel Remote Keyboard uninstall it at their earliest convenience,” the company says in an advisory.
The app’s demise, however, shouldn’t be such a huge loss given that it was last updated in June 2017.
Intel’s security fiasco doesn’t seem to come to an end, as the company still struggles to deal with the Meltdown and Spectre hardware design flaws. Recently, the firm confirmed that the Spectre Variant 2 vulnerability wouldn’t be fixed in some processors.