A group of security researchers have found a serious flaw in the Android software from Google. This comes just after a few days from T-Mobile’s G1 smartphone launch on Wednesday. One of the researchers, Charles A. Miller, notified Google about the flaw. Furthermore, he announced the error publicly in order to show cell phone users that they face the same threats that plague Internet-connected PC’s. This is caused by the increasingly sophisticated technologies used in smartphones.

Miller, a former National Security Agency (NSA) computer security specialist, said that the flaw could be exploited by an attacker who might trick an Android user into visiting a booby-trapped Web site. Google’s representatives told the media that the security features of the phone would limit the extent of damage that could be done by an intruder, by limiting the access to a single application. Basically, today’s computer OS try to limit access by creating a partition between a single user’s control of the machine and complete access to programs and data, which is referred to as super user, root or administrative access. In the Google design, the main risk is in the Web browser partition in the phone. It would be possible for an intruder to install software that would make it possible for him to steal identity information or passwords.

Miller has previously gained attention for finding other vulnerabilities. In march, he received $10,000 and a Mac Air laptop for being able to exploit a vulnerability in Apple’s Safari browser. Google executives, on the other hand, think that Miller violated an unwritten code between companies and researchers that is intended to give companies time to fix problems before they are publicized. In his defense, Miller said he felt consumers had a right to know that products have shortcomings.