New Delhi: While the government has sent notices to handset makers over data leaks, there is a need to keep a check over the ecosystem which include operating software (OS) and apps to ensure security of users data, said Cyber Media Research (CMR) on Thursday.

CMR said that for ensuring a secure environment of privacy and data for a user, along with hardware the software aspects especially apps and OS also need to be taken in to account.

It said that, at present, over 90 per cent of the smartphones run on Google’s Android OS and with each upgrade of the OS, Google has hardened the security of the devices. “However, the problem is that handset makers do not upgrade the versions on existing devices in use as a routine,” it said.

Also the problem is that lower-end mobiles don’t run the latest version of Android which could compromise the data security on these handsets. “This keeps the typically less aware user profile purchasing entry level smartphones deprived of the security improvements that Google brings at the OS level,” it said.

CMR said that handset manufacturers can be mandated by the government to ensure that OS upgrades, as rolled out by Google, are instantly pushed across to users.