If you own an Android phone, you should check your settings immediately.
Anyone with an Android device should check their settings and install the latest update from Google as soon as possible. The urgent notice was issued after several serious vulnerabilities were discovered in the widely used operating system that could expose users to hacker attacks.
The latest update fixed 55 vulnerabilities, two of which — CVE-2024-50302 and CVE-2024-43093 — received the scary “zero-day” status. For those who don’t know, “zero-day” means that hackers are already aware of the issue and are exploiting it in the wild. That’s why this update is critical, and why experts stress its necessity.
“It is vital that all Android owners update their devices immediately as there are currently two critical security vulnerabilities being exploited by attackers,” said Adam Boynton, Senior Security Manager at EMEIA at Jamf. “CVE-2024-43093 affects the core Android architecture, while CVE-2024-50302 affects the Android kernel.
“CVE-2024-43093 is the more severe of the two threats as it allows cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access to the Android/data, Android/obb, and Android/sandbox directories and control sensitive operations.”
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Google also said one of the new vulnerabilities is “severe,” explaining that it “could lead to remote code execution without requiring additional privileges.” In simple terms, this means that attackers could theoretically access sensitive information on your device. It’s a serious issue, but once you install the update, all devices will be safe again.
How to protect yourself
Google releases security updates for its Pixel phones every month, and it usually does so first. If you have a Samsung, OnePlus, Honor, Oppo, or Xiaomi phone, you may have to wait a little longer, as these and other Android manufacturers must implement security changes themselves before releasing patches for their devices.
To check if your phone is ready for an update, simply go to Settings and check for software updates. If your device indicates that an update is needed, it is highly recommended that you do so immediately to ensure your safety.
Sourse: www.mirror.co.uk
