Barclays is a major bank in the UK and the bank has made a decision that has angered many fans of Android devices. Barclays is blocking any rooted Android smartphone from running its two banking applications on the device if the device is rooted. A petition has been put up that activists want Barclays customers to sign in protest of the move.

The anger from Barclays customers is that the bank has two apps that are commonly used with one called Pingit, a mobile funds transfer service. Pingit and the Barclays Mobile Banking app can’t be run at the same time for users of rooted devices.

There are a number of reasons that people root their Android devices, many of them are legitimate. It appears that Barclays thinks rooting your device is tied to nefarious activities and makes the device less secure. Many Android fans know that rooting your device can actually make it more secure if you use the right apps.

As of now, Barclays is still blocking access to both apps on a rooted phone. Barclays have made no official comments at this time and it remains unclear what exactly the bank fears in letting rooted users run both apps.

SOURCE: Gomonews

9 COMMENTS

    • Yes, the workaround (or in fact, solution) is to change banks to one that has a less draconian policy and supports the right to use hardware and software that the customer desires.

  1. Use rootcloak I think it is in xposed. This has been an issue with many American banks for a while now. Not hard to get around.

  2. Except exposing a vulnerability in the OS patched or not doesn’t make it secure depending on apps. A few root apps I’ve found also have 777 rw permissions that the common “ICANTFINDOUTHOWTOINSTALLCM” rom flasher isn’t going to know about and because its an app that anyone could potentially download it’s bad, or even just social engineering the user into loading an app and giving it root. I understand they should not react like this and maybe release a PSA about the issues they have with rooting to clear the air but this isn’t -that- far out there from a company dealing with sensitive financial issues.

  3. I have a rooted phone and I cant run either of the 2 apps solo or together and for that reason I am changing banks this is just another way of dictating to people the same people who pay their wage and bailed these banks out

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