MIUI 12.5 offers secure keyboard that scrambles digits for enhanced security against malicious applications

We have seen how humanity has jumped from barter to precious metals and finally onto paper currency as mediums of exchange. But fast forward to the 21st century and online transactions have begun to take over.

Everyone’s familiar with the ease and convenience online transactions offer and this benefit is one of the main reasons why the mode of exchange has become the backbone of today’s trade.

But with all its blessings also comes a small price – security concerns. Online transactions may have gotten a lot more secure than they used to be some years back but are still not exactly foolproof.

Thus, many are dependent on anti-virus software for functions like sweeping privacy traces and for the prompt detection of keylogging programs, among many other things. Some banking websites go far as offering their own secure keyboards for entering passwords.

But what about smartphones? Of course, the Android OS, being Linux-based, is more secure than operating systems like Windows ever could be, but still has its share of security holes.

Android also comes with several protective barriers to make it harder for an attacker to create and distribute a keylogger app, but again, nothing is really infallible.

Xiaomi aims to address this major concern through the use of a built-in Secure Keyboard on MIUI 12.5. Yep, the app is simply called Secure Keyboard with no branding from Xiaomi or anything.

Xiaomi claims that the keyboard runs completely locally thus eliminating the possibility of data upload, and that it ‘escorts’ its user through the process of entering the password. This means that it should pop-up automatically when the case so arises.

Moreover, it also scrambles numericals so that malicious keylogging apps are effectively kept in the dark when it comes to cracking passwords by obtaining click locations.

Of course, the keyboard will have to be enabled first through either the ‘Languages & input’ settings or through Xiaomi’s privacy settings for it to work, as shown in the above screenshot.

Nonetheless, it is worth mentioning here that this secure keyboard on MIUI 12.5 isn’t exactly new and has been present for a couple of years. However, it lacked the option to opt for an out-of-order keyboard.

Moreover, it was only made available on the Chinese MIUI builds since its very advent, but hopefully, a global MIUI 12.5 stable rollout will make it accessible to the masses.

For now, be sure to keep an eye on our dedicated MIUI 12.5 update tracker so that you don’t miss out on any new developments.

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