Smartphone users alert! Google raises security alarm for billions of Android phone owners

Many people, across the globe, use Android phones. However, the android system is not opposed to bugs and hacking. Google security researchers have raised a major alarm and warned of 18 different bugs in Samsung Exynos chips that are used in many top Android smartphones. 

Time Willis, head of Google’s Project Zero, said in a blog post that four of the susceptibilities ‘allows for Internet-to-baseband remote code execution”. Therefore, these bugs have put the security of the android system at grave risk. 

As per the test that was conducted at Project Zero Lab, an attacker can remotely hack a phone at the baseband level without any user interaction, courtesy of these four bugs. 

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In this case, the cyber hacker would just need the phone number of the victim to compromise its security. Skilled hackers will also be able to create an “operational exploit” to further compromise affected devices silently and remotely, Google security researchers said. 

Here’s how Samsung phone users can protect themselves from these cyber attacks 

Tim Willis has said that the users of smartphones having Samsung’s Exynos chipsets in their devices can turn off their WiFi calling facility and Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) to protect them from cyber attacks until security updates are made available.

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When the settings are turned off, the chances of security compromise are nil, Tom Willis said. The bug is currently effective in devices from Samsung, Google-Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series, Vivo, and wearables using Exynos chipset. The bugs also affect vehicles using the Exynos Auto T5123 chipset.

The Pixel devices have already obtained updates, while other devices may get security updates as per the manufacturer, Google said.

Many people, across the globe, use Android phones. However, the android system is not opposed to bugs and hacking. Google security researchers have raised a major alarm and warned of 18 different bugs in Samsung Exynos chips that are used in many top Android smartphones. 

Time Willis, head of Google’s Project Zero, said in a blog post that four of the susceptibilities ‘allows for Internet-to-baseband remote code execution”. Therefore, these bugs have put the security of the android system at grave risk. 

As per the test that was conducted at Project Zero Lab, an attacker can remotely hack a phone at the baseband level without any user interaction, courtesy of these four bugs. 

READ | Rajesh Gopinathan, outgoing TCS CEO, reveals his future plans, but…

In this case, the cyber hacker would just need the phone number of the victim to compromise its security. Skilled hackers will also be able to create an “operational exploit” to further compromise affected devices silently and remotely, Google security researchers said. 

Here’s how Samsung phone users can protect themselves from these cyber attacks 

Tim Willis has said that the users of smartphones having Samsung’s Exynos chipsets in their devices can turn off their WiFi calling facility and Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) to protect them from cyber attacks until security updates are made available.

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When the settings are turned off, the chances of security compromise are nil, Tom Willis said. The bug is currently effective in devices from Samsung, Google-Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series, Vivo, and wearables using Exynos chipset. The bugs also affect vehicles using the Exynos Auto T5123 chipset.

The Pixel devices have already obtained updates, while other devices may get security updates as per the manufacturer, Google said.