Google rolls out update with security patches to fix zero-day vulnerabilites in Android phones

Zero-day vulnerabilities is said to be exploited by hackers for targeted attacks on Android phone users worldwide.

Search engine giant Google has released its April software update with critical security patches to fix multiple vulnerabilities in Android phones.

Among the 62 security issues, two vulnerabilities--CVE-2024-53150 and CVE-2024-53197--are said to be zero-day bugs. They were said to be exploited by hackers for targeted attacks on Android phone users.

For the uninitiated, zero-day means a software security vulnerability, where the concerned experts (in this case, engineers at Google) were previously unaware of its existence, but some hackers may have exploited it to attack systems.

"The most severe of these issues is a critical security vulnerability in the System component that could lead to remote escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation," says Android security bulletin.

Pixel phones will directly get the update from Google, while other branded phones, the original manufacturers will release them in the coming weeks.

Once you get the notification, Android phone owners are advised to update to the latest version to safeguard themselves from emerging cyber threats.

Here's how to manually update your Android phone:

Go to Settings >> System update >> Check for updates

In a related development, Google has released new generative AI-based camera and screen-sharing capabilities to the Gemini Live feature in select Android phones.

With the two new features, device owners will be able to converse with Gemini Live even more freely. The user has to point the camera and ask Gemini Live for suggestions.

These capabilities are being rolled out to Google's latest devices Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL and 9 Pro Fold, along with Samsung's Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra.

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