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The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a critical warning for Android Users. It highlighted several vulnerabilities associated with the Operating System that may harm users and their valuable data.
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The official website of the Computer Emergency Response Team issued the critical statement for Android versions 13 and older. Click the above link to check more details about the warning raised by the government.
According to the Ministry, Android OS vulnerabilities can be used to exploit users' data by allowing attackers to perform a variety of harmful tasks. They can run their code on the devices, accessing private data, and even rendering the device unusable via a DoS attack.
A Warning to All Android Users
The government of India raised a warning for all Android phone users running versions 11, 12, 12L, and 13. The issues were found not limited to any one component. It includes critical components such as Framework, System, and Google Play System updates.
It also issued a warning for components connected to various hardware manufacturers like Arm, Unisor, Qualcomm, MediaTek and even Qualcomm’s closed-source components. However, here is some expert advice to help you protect your device:
- Check for updates and if available download and install the security patch.
- It is critical to keep your Android OS updated as it ensures secured measurements and features and aids in the protection of your device from vulnerabilities.
- Install and download applications from secured and trusted sources. Stick to the Google Play Store and avoid downloading any third-party applications. Also, pay close attention to the permissions you grant to the applications you access.
- The permissions you grant to the application also is a critical factor to consider. Granting permission to third-party applications can turn out to be a risk factor. Think thrice before permitting any access to the application and understand why it requires access.
- Maintain a continuous backup of your data be it in the cloud or any external drive. It ensures that your sensitive information is safe in any possible event of an unpredicted situation.
Possible Affected Android Devices with Vulnerabilities
CERT-IN issued the concerned announcement for Android versions older than 13. It mentioned the flaws are not limited to a single component. However, Google has already released an Android OS update that has resolved the issue.
Users are urged to update their devices as soon as possible and take the required security precautions to protect their phones from falling under an attack and exposing their private data, passwords, and other assets to the hacker.
