The new mechanism may enable Google to restore trust in the event that it is required. Root certificates are primarily based on trust.
On Android 14, Google is said to be working on making Android’s root store updateable through the Google Play Store. Currently, the search giant only updates root certificates as part of full system updates. This could prevent older Android devices from connecting to the internet if the expired root certificates are not recognized.
AndroidPolice cites a tweet from Mishaal Rahman that suggests Google may be developing root certificate modules that will be made available through updates to Google Play Services. Root certificates are used to verify connections between Android system devices to ensure safe connections.
Google will be able to push these updates whenever they are needed by introducing root certificate modules through Google Play Services, preventing older models from completely leaving the trust grid.
The improvement might have been set off with one specific root declaration authority, TrustCor, being in the information for supposedly having joins with an organization that is known to give sypware knowledge administrations. Since then, Google has begun removing TrustCor’s certificate support from its devices.
Root certificates issued by TrustCor will no longer be considered trusted when the desktop version of Google Chrome 111 is updated. According to Mishaal Rahman’s blog post, Android’s root certificates cannot be updated independently, so the change may take longer.
The search giant is working on bundling root certificate updates to its Google Play Store Services updates, which are pushed out whenever the company needs them, in an effort to change this.
