There are many simple things you can do to keep your private information safe, like using strong passwords, scrutinizing app permissions, and only installing apps from trusted sources. However, some attacks are much harder to protect yourself against, as they’re so sophisticated and stealthy that they can happen without you ever noticing. One such attack tricks your phone into connecting to a fake, insecure mobile network, which is difficult for the average person to detect. Fortunately, the new update has a feature that might be able to warn you when someone is using this tactic to snoop on you.This type of attack uses a device called a “stingray.” An attacker sets up this device near a target they want to surveil, and it mimics a legitimate cell tower. The stingray tricks nearby mobile devices into connecting to it, allowing the attacker to collect unique identifiers (like the IMEI) and even force them onto an older, more insecure communication protocol. These identifiers allow attackers to target specific devices for analysis, while switching protocols can let them intercept unencrypted text messages and phone calls.These “stingray” devices are notoriously used by law enforcement agencies, but their technology can also be acquired by malicious actors. While some argue they are a necessary tool for surveilling criminals, their potential for abuse is significant, as they can be used to covertly collect data on ordinary people. Because of this, Google has been working on ways to warn Android users or prevent them from sending communications over insecure cellular networks.With the release of , for example, Google added support for disabling 2G connectivity at the modem level. In , the company followed up by supporting the disabling of connections that use null ciphers — a form of unencrypted communication. More recently, added support for notifying the OS when the network requests a device’s unique identifiers or tries to force a new ciphering algorithm. These features directly counter the tactics used by commercial “stingrays,” which trick devices into downgrading to 2G or using null ciphers to make their traffic easier to intercept. Blocking these connections and notifying the user about these requests helps protect them from surveillance.Mishaal Rahman / Android AuthorityThe toggle to disable 2G networks in Android 16 on a Pixel 9a.Unfortunately, only one of these three features is widely available: the ability to disable 2G connectivity. The problem is that implementing these protections requires corresponding changes to a phone’s modem driver. The feature that notifies the OS about identifier requests, for example, requires a modem that supports version 3.0 of Android’s IRadio hardware abstraction layer (HAL). This dependency is why these and other devices, and it’s also likely why Google delayed launching the dedicated “mobile network security” settings page it planned for Android 15., Android 16 will include alerts for fake cell towers and suspicious networks Update detects ‘stingray’ devices which pose as cell towers Feature likely to arrive with devices that launch on , Android 16 has a new "network notifications" feature that can warn you when your device might be connected to a fake cell tower..