500 million Android users warned as at risk
Google has now announced details of the October Android security update, stating that out of the seven high-severity vulnerabilities, the most “severe” one “allows remote code execution without additional execution privileges.” “There is a possibility that it will happen,” he warned. There are also a number of high-severity fixes to third-party components that could put your device at risk.
As always, the situation for Pixel owners is simpler than for other OEMs, and that’s especially true for Samsung users who are still reeling from the unexpected delays to Android 15 that were suddenly confirmed last week. Samsung also announced details of its own October security update. This includes two critical Qualcomm vulnerabilities that were thankfully delayed from the September Android update.
Of course, not all Pixel and Samsung devices are eligible for the update, so you should check to see if these important updates are still available. You can do so for Pixel and Samsung here, and the latter also details whether their updates are monthly, quarterly, or even semi-annual. If you don’t take advantage of monthly updates, your device will be at risk for a much longer period of time.
The support entitlement period has become something of a battle between Google and Samsung, and is much longer than it used to be. The new standard for flagship products is 7 years, and this period will extend the useful life of devices, especially as annual updates in AI performance become the norm and some of those features make it into lower-cost phones. more likely to exceed.
Samsung is also extending support for its low-end devices, and the new Galaxy A16 5G, launched to take on China’s low-end devices, comes with six years of support, which is unprecedented at this level. “If you want to buy Galaxy A16 5G” Android permissions“You can expect updates until October 2030. If you didn’t believe Samsung was the king of software updates, we hope you are now.”
However, extended support is a new change for Android, leaving a surprising number of devices unsupported. When you were only eligible for support for three or four years, it was easy to lose support. Zimperium’s Global Mobile Threat Report, released two weeks ago, warned that a staggering 14% of Android devices used in enterprises are “unupgradable, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation.” are. For iPhones, this number is much lower, with only 1% at risk.
Android OS version you are currently using
While this is a risk for businesses, Zimperium also reports that the share of Android devices currently running non-upgradeable versions of the OS is 18% higher, and this is about the same for iPhones. Due to Android’s more open nature, the risks are even higher, especially if you go back a few years. Updates to Google’s various services also provide some protection for your device, but the risks are much higher.
ESET’s Jake Moore warned: “Older operating systems may remain vulnerable to attack as criminals seek out unpatched vulnerabilities and target people’s data.” I am doing it. If you leave your phone or tablet without patch management, you won’t get all the latest security updates. While you may be safe for the first few weeks or even months after end of support, over time your device may be vulnerable to newly discovered vulnerabilities, even if it appears healthy. There is a gender. ”
Statistics show that at least 500 million Android devices are currently at risk, with OS versions no longer supported. According to StatCounter, almost 34% of devices are running Android 14 and 20% are running Android 13, but 1 in 5 people are still using Android 11 or 12, and an astonishing 4. % is still using Android 9. Google ended support in 2021. Android 10 Android 11 will end of support in 2023, and support ended in February of this year.
In total, this means that approximately 25% of Android devices, or up to 750 million out of 3 billion mobile phones, are running an end-of-life OS version. Oddly enough, while the situation is terrible, an astonishing 1 billion+ devices were reported to be unsupported in 2020 (2 out of 5 devices in use at the time) , an improvement from over 40%.
In addition to making sure your device is eligible for support, you also need to get updates when they are released. “It’s important to make sure your device is set to automatically update its operating system,” Moore says. Update to stay protected from the latest threats. ”
Compared to Apple’s blanket approach to iOS updates, the Android landscape is more complex, with updates rolled out drip-wise throughout the month by OEM, model, region, and network. Reports are still coming in that Samsung devices just got the September update, which in itself means that the important update is delayed by a month as mentioned above.
It’s been a dangerous year for Android, with multiple warnings and emergency patches about serious security threats that led to real-world attacks. Don’t take any risks. Especially in a world where cheaper devices with multi-year support are now available.
