One of the elements to protect any content in the Android operating system that application developers and device manufacturers can use is the FLAG_SECURE flag. This is a system solution that prohibits taking a screenshot using standard means. If the user tries to take a screenshot, the output will be just a white screen. Recently, Android has started applying this flag on the Wi-Fi password QR code page when users share this data and try to take a screenshot.
Android researcher Mishaal Rahman discovered a curious issue in the Google Issue Tracker thread. The owner of a Pixel 7 with Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3 complained that he could not take a screenshot of a QR code with a Wi-Fi password, and instead of a normal picture, he got a white screen. A Google representative told him that the function works as intended, and this behavior of the system is not a bug.
Google’s decision to enforce Android privacy in this way seems strange, since the QR code was originally conceived as a secure way to share a Wi-Fi password. Without the FLAG_SECURE flag, users could take a screenshot and read the QR code on their home Android device in order to receive a password that can then be entered on the target device. Recent changes make this process much more difficult.
Source: Trash Box
I’m Meagan Diaz, a news writer and author at World Stock Market. My main focus is on technology and stock market trends, and I’m passionate about helping readers stay informed on the ever-changing landscape. I bring extensive knowledge of the industry to my work as well as a knack for storytelling that makes my articles both accessible and engaging.
