04 February, 2012
By Adnan
It has not been long since Google introduced PIN protection feature for Android Market. This feature is primarily there to stop your kids from downloading or purchasing apps without your knowledge or consent. The PIN protection feature is also pretty handy if one has friends that like buying a large number of apps just for the sake of playing a prank on you. On the face of it, PIN protection looks pretty solid and foolproof. The truth is, it’s really not.
Google’s Android mobile operating system has slowly and gradually been gaining popularity amongst global smartphone users. In fact that Android platform poses as the only real competitor to Apple’s domination of the smartphone industry. Currently Google is activating over 700,000 Android devices daily around the world and this number is soon going to be through the roof. Naturally Google has to come up with ways that keep its ever growing user base secure. The PIN protection feature Google added to Android Market is actually pretty easy to crack.
This loophole, per se, has been discovered by a Reddit user named hebl. He has been able to bypass Android Market PIN protection on his Desire HD. Once this has been bypassed apps can be downloaded without having to enter a PIN. The way to bypass it is really simple. From Home Screen press Menu button then tap on Settings followed by Applications then Manage Applications. Tap on All then Market and finally tap on Clear data. PIN protection has been neutralized.
So how will this problem be fixed? Given the fact that this issue has come to light on the internet, it is only a matter of time before Google rolls out an Android Market update that will take care of this loophole. Till then it is advised that you keep away your Android smartphone from prankster friends and your lively kids. It only takes an internet search to find out how to bypass Android Market PIN protection feature.
