On 7 April, Samsung announced a major update for its smartphones. This includes security patches for all the Galaxy phones, which address a total of 47 security vulnerabilities.
As just under a third of these vulnerabilities are classified as ‘critical’, anyone with a Samsung smartphone should install this update as soon as it becomes available. Depending on the model, this may already be the case – or it may happen in the coming days.
These are the vulnerabilities in question
The list shows exactly which vulnerabilities are involved. Google had already highlighted some of these in its own security bulletin. Samsung is therefore delivering general Android patches provided by Google, while also closing gaps that exist specifically on Samsung devices.
The vulnerabilities classified as critical appear to be particularly dangerous, as attackers require neither physical access to the device nor elevated privileges. They can, for example, crash devices via a local denial-of-service attack, as Google notes.
Some vulnerabilities classified as high-risk specifically affect Exynos chips, which Samsung uses in numerous mid-range devices. They can allow hackers to bypass or circumvent important security mechanisms such as Knox Guard. In most cases, however, attackers need direct access to the smartphone.
How to get the update
The relevant patches are automatically rolled out to all affected Samsung smartphones that are currently still receiving updates. To check whether you have already received the patch, check under ‘Software Update’ in your device’s settings.
Here, you may be prompted to install the patch and restart your device, if you haven’t already done so. Most users should receive the update via this method over the course of the week. It’s best not to delay the installation to avoid compromising the security of your data.
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