Millions of Android devices vulnerable to new Stagefright exploit

[Elixer]

On and on it goes...

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2016-03/16/stagefright-android-real-world-hack

Security researchers have successfully exploited the Android-based Stagefright bug and remotely hacked a phone, which may leave millions devices vulnerable to attack.

Israeli software research company NorthBit claimed it had "properly" exploited the Android bug that was originally described as the "worst ever discovered".

The exploitation, called Metaphor, is detailed in a research paper (https://github.com/NorthBit/Public/raw/master/NorthBit-Metaphor.pdf ) from NorthBit and also a video showing the exploit being run on a Nexus 5. NorthBit said it had also successfully tested the exploit on a LG G3, HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S5.
...
The researchers from NorthBit say they have been able to create an exploit that can be used against Stagefright on Android 2.2, 4.0, 5.0 and 5.1. Other versions are not affected.

 

[KeithP]

I am unclear about something...

This is billed as a "new" stagefright exploit but is it not the same exploit that has always existed (unless the phone received a patch)? It seems to me that some researchers just found something new to do with it?

-KeithP

 

[Elixer]

This is still in the stagefright family of exploits, this one is just even easier to exploit the device than before.

 

[Zodiark1593]

I don't suppose OEMs are willing to put through a patch for older phones are they?