HIGH RISK warning for Samsung users including Galaxy S23, Fold5, Flip5
The government has pointed out critical security issues with Samsung Mobile Android versions 11, 12, 13 and 14, which could allow an attacker to snoop and access data on your device without your knowledge.
The Indian government’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued a risk alert to Samsung mobile phone users. The alert talks about multiple vulnerabilities affecting millions of Samsung Galaxy phones, both old and new models. It also points out critical security issues with Samsung Mobile Android versions 11, 12, 13, and 14, which could allow an attacker to snoop and access data on your device without your knowledge.
The security alert, issued on December 13, categorizes the issue as high risk, and highlights the urgent need for existing Samsung users to immediately update their phone’s operating system or firmware. The devices at risk include the Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy Z Fold5 and more. Samsung’s flagship smartphone series, the Galaxy S23 serieshas the Android 14 update and is therefore also in the list.
The cybersecurity agency said multiple vulnerabilities have been reported in Samsung products and could allow an attacker to bypass implemented security restrictions, gaining access to sensitive information. They can also execute arbitrary code to compromise the targeted system.
According to the government’s cybersecurity team, these vulnerabilities can lead to issues such as improper access control in Knox features, integer overflow errors in facial recognition software, authorization issues with the AR Emoji app, improper handling of errors in Knox security software, multiple memory corruption vulnerabilities in various system components , incorrect data size verification in the softSIMD library, unvalidated user input in the Smart Clip app, and hijacking certain app interactions in contacts.
Nasty update your device now, all you have to do is go to your phone settings. Once done, follow this path: About device > Software update > Download and install.
If you don’t have an update, you should be extra careful when opening links or files from unknown sources. Also, make sure you download apps from reputable app stores and don’t sideload apps until the security issue on your device is resolved.