Vulnerability puts certain Android devices at risk

Certain Android devices are currently facing a security hole that puts them at risk for hackers. 

A team of security analysts at Google, called Project Zero, has found a total of 18 0-day vulnerabilities on Samsung-made Exynos chips. The vulnerability is a flaw that the product vendor previously did not know about. 

According to PhoneArena, 4 out of the 18 vulnerabilities gives hackers easy access to devices that are affected by the bug. These vulnerabilities were found from late 2022 and early 2023. Using only a phone number, hackers can easily exploit the vulnerability and remotely and quietly put the victim’s device at risk. Thankfully, the remaining vulnerabilities discovered were not as severe. 

The devices that are affected by the vulnerability includes the following: 

• Google Pixel 6a

• Google Pixel 6

• Google Pixel 6 Pro

• Google Pixel 7 

• Google Pixel 7 Pro

• Samsung Galaxy A04

• Samsung Galaxy A12

• Samsung Galaxy A13

• Samsung Galaxy A21s

• Samsung Galaxy A33

• Samsung Galaxy A53

• Samsung Galaxy A71

• Samsung Galaxy M12

• Samsung Galaxy M13

• Samsung Galaxy M33

• Samsung Galaxy S22 (UK and Europe variants with Exynos chips)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

• Vivo S6

• Vivo S15

• Vivo S16

• Vivo X30

• Vivo X60

• Vivo X70

Google has included a fix to the most severe vulnerability in the March software update for the Pixel 7. The update will be available to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6a devices later this month. 

Sadly, Samsung and Vivo devices continue to be at risk at this time even though Samsung was notified of the vulnerability 90 days ago. Until a fix is rolled out, Project Zero advises affected users to turn off Wi-Fi calling and Voice over LTE (VoLTE).

Source: PhoneArena