The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), which comes under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has reported multiple vulnerabilities in Android devices. It has issued a high-severity alert, saying these vulnerabilities could be exploited by an attacker to obtain sensitive information, gain elevated privileges and perform denial of service (DoS) attacks on the targeted system.
These vulnerabilities affect Android OS versions 12, 12L, 13, and 14, posing significant security risks for millions of users worldwide. In its advisory dated September 11, it said, "These vulnerabilities exist in Android due to flaws in the Framework, System, Google Play system updates (Remote Key Provisioning subcomponent), Kernel, Arm component, Imagination Technologies components, Unisoc components, Qualcomm components and Qualcomm closed-source components."
It added, "Apply appropriate updates when made available by the respective OEMS." This means Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and others.
How to protect your device?
All Android users are advised to install security updates as soon as they become available. The updates are designed to patch the vulnerabilities and strengthen your device’s defences against potential cyberattacks. If these updates are not available yet, users are advised to avoid installing untrusted apps, visiting unknown websites, or clicking on suspicious links. Once updated, Android users can protect their devices from these serious vulnerabilities and stay safe from cyber threats.
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