Crypto Wallets on outdated Andriod phones

[UmerIdrees]

I have an Android phone that is a few years old, and in the last few months, the company has stopped providing security / OS updates to the phone. As we know, Android phones usually provide updates for three to four years, while Samsung has started providing updates for seven years in their recent phones.

Anyway, I have crypto wallets like Unstoppable in that device and also the binance apps etc. Is it safe to keep the wallet on that device, or is it time to buy a new mobile phone that can receive recent security updates?

[PX-Z]

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Anyway, I have crypto wallets like Unstoppable in that device and also the binance apps etc. Is it safe to keep the wallet on that device, or is it time to buy a new mobile phone that can receive recent security updates?

It doesn't mean that the phone is immediately unsafe but any new vulnerability discovered like malware after that point (no security patch update anymore) will remain permanently unpatched on your device. I can say it's at least safe for 1-2 years as long as you don't download anything online, especially from untrusted sources. If you have the budget, buy a new one, and make this old device as airgapped, used for signing transaction only, so you have to uninstalled most apps, and disabled most system apps as well that is not necessary.

[Zaguru12]

I have an Android phone that is a few years old, and in the last few months, the company has stopped providing security / OS updates to the phone. As we know, Android phones usually provide updates for three to four years, while Samsung has started providing updates for seven years in their recent phones.

Anyway, I have crypto wallets like Unstoppable in that device and also the binance apps etc. Is it safe to keep the wallet on that device, or is it time to buy a new mobile phone that can receive recent security updates?

First thing I think you need to actually look out for is to confirm if the wallet has been backed up properly and then every other thing will be fixable. For me if the device actually doesn’t stop working then I don’t think you need to actually go to another device because except if the device develops problems or the wallet on it isn’t been able to update its firmware then it could be call for a new device.

I would said that the device cannot be used or classified as airgapped device because this device has actually been online before and as such doesn’t qualifies to be an airgapped device. An airgapped device in my opinion is a device that should never or had never been brought online before, so it’s disqualifies this device any day as great airgapped device

You can though continue to use your wallet on that device should any thing come up the back up is there to recover the wallet in another device

[coinlary]

Yes for surfing the Internet alone. No for just only your wallet and Binance or any other rep. exchange app.

As long as you're not doing more than just using your exchange wallet and the hot self-custody wallets, then you should be safe to some extent. Not like really safe, just make sure you're not doing more than that, and make sure you don't have much on all those wallets. It doesn't matter centralized exchange or not in this case. Mobile phone was never really that much of a good option for storage.

I will delete every browser on it  too

[virasog]

I have an Android phone that is a few years old, and in the last few months, the company has stopped providing security / OS updates to the phone. As we know, Android phones usually provide updates for three to four years, while Samsung has started providing updates for seven years in their recent phones.

Anyway, I have crypto wallets like Unstoppable in that device and also the binance apps etc. Is it safe to keep the wallet on that device, or is it time to buy a new mobile phone that can receive recent security updates?

I don't think that's much of a problem unless you install .apk files or other software from untrusted sources. Downloading software from the Play Store won't have any problem, and this holds true even if you have an updated phone with updated security patches. If you download software from unknown locations, even that new device can be compromised.

And why don't you buy a hardware wallet instead of wasting money on another phone, and that is not a foolproof solution.

[UmerIdrees]

Yes for surfing the Internet alone. No for just only your wallet and Binance or any other rep. exchange app.

As long as you're not doing more than just using your exchange wallet and the hot self-custody wallets, then you should be safe to some extent. Not like really safe, just make sure you're not doing more than that, and make sure you don't have much on all those wallets. It doesn't matter centralized exchange or not in this case. Mobile phone was never really that much of a good option for storage.

I will delete every browser on it  too

So you mean that I only use that outdated phone for storing crypto wallet and delete the browsers too, so any malware does not come into my phone if I surf the internet on the phone 

And why don't you buy a hardware wallet instead of wasting money on another phone, and that is not a foolproof solution.

Sadly, none has provided me a satisfactory answer here. Buying a hardware wallet is a good option, but since Trezor / Ledger doesn't ship directly to my country, it is a risk if I buy it from a third-party vendor ?