Why it matters: As Android 16’s new security features roll out with the next generation of smartphones, users will, for the first time, have a tool to detect invisible digital surveillance. Whether this prompts broader reforms in how such technology is used and regulated remains to be seen. Still, the feature reflects a growing awareness of the need to protect personal privacy in the mobile age.

An upcoming Android update will introduce a warning system to help users detect one of the most elusive forms of digital surveillance: the Stingray attack. Android Authority notes that as part of the Android 16 rollout, select new devices will alert users when their phone connects to a suspicious or insecure mobile network.

Android 16 will introduce a new “Mobile network security” setting that alerts users when their device connects to an unencrypted network or when a network requests device identifiers – both signs of a possible Stingray attack. Users can also disable 2G support entirely, further lowering their risk.

Stingray devices imitate legitimate cell towers, tricking nearby phones into connecting to them instead of real networks. Once connected, operators can capture unique device identifiers like the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), track a device’s location, and even force phones onto older, less secure protocols like 2G.

The underlying technology exploits a fundamental principle of cellular communication: mobile devices automatically connect to the tower with the strongest signal. By broadcasting a powerful signal, Stingrays lure all nearby phones to connect, harvesting identifiers from every device within range – not just the intended target.

Often, operators don’t initially know which device belongs to their target, so the Stingray collects data from all connected phones and then filters it to identify the intended one. More advanced models can intercept calls and messages or launch denial-of-service attacks by jamming legitimate signals.

Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. have used Stingrays for years, often under strict secrecy. Federal, state, and local police have deployed these devices in investigations ranging from violent crimes to minor thefts, with some departments using them thousands of times over the past decade. More recently, threat actors have begun using the devices as well.

Until now, most smartphone users had little ability to detect or defend against these attacks. Google has gradually added features to improve network security, such as disabling 2G connectivity and blocking unencrypted communication. However, hardware constraints limited these protections. Detecting Stingray activity requires a phone modem that supports advanced features – specifically, version 3.0 of Android’s IRadio hardware abstraction layer. As a result, even the latest Pixel phones don’t yet support the full range of protections. The new warning system in Android 16 will only arrive on upcoming devices – most notably, those launching with Android 16 later this year.

The big picture: A smartphone smuggled out of North Korea is offering a rare – and unsettling – glimpse into the extent of control Kim Jong Un’s regime exerts over its citizens, down to the very words they type. While the device appears outwardly similar to any modern smartphone, its software reveals a far more oppressive reality.

The phone was featured in a BBC video, which showed it powering on with an animated North Korean flag waving across the screen. While the report did not specify the brand, the design and user interface closely resembled those of a Huawei or Honor device.

It’s unclear whether these companies officially sell phones in North Korea, but if they do, the devices are likely customized with state-approved software designed to restrict functionality and facilitate government surveillance.

One of the more revealing – and darkly amusing – features was the phone’s automatic censorship of words deemed problematic by the state. For instance, when users typed oppa, a South Korean term used to refer to an older brother or a boyfriend, the phone automatically replaced it with comrade. A warning would then appear, admonishing the user that oppa could only refer to an older sibling.

Typing “South Korea” would trigger another change. The phrase was automatically replaced with “puppet state,” reflecting the language used in official North Korean rhetoric.

Then came the more unsettling features. The phone silently captured a screenshot every five minutes, storing the images in a hidden folder that users couldn’t access. According to the BBC, authorities could later review these images to monitor the user’s activity.

The device was smuggled out of North Korea by Daily NK, a Seoul-based media outlet specializing in North Korean affairs. After examining the phone, the BBC confirmed that the censorship mechanisms were deeply embedded in its software. Experts say this technology is designed not only to control information but also to reinforce state messaging at the most personal level.

Smartphone usage has grown in North Korea in recent years, but access remains tightly controlled. Devices cannot connect to the global internet and are subject to intense government surveillance.

The regime has reportedly intensified efforts to eliminate South Korean cultural influence, which it views as subversive. So-called “youth crackdown squads” have been deployed to enforce these rules, frequently stopping young people on the streets to inspect their phones and review text messages for banned language.

Some North Korean escapees have shared that exposure to South Korean dramas or foreign radio broadcasts played a key role in their decision to flee the country. Despite the risks, outside media continues to be smuggled in – often via USB sticks and memory cards hidden in food shipments. Much of this effort is supported by foreign organizations.

Image credit: BBC