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| Google fixed 81 security vulnerabilities in the December Android security update |
Google released a security update for Android in December 2022 that resolves four critical vulnerabilities, including: A remote code execution vulnerability that could be exploited via Bluetooth technology.
This month's update fixes 45 vulnerabilities in core Android components (patch level 12/01/2022) and an additional 36 vulnerabilities affecting third-party components (patch level 05/12/2022).
In a post on its Android Security blog, Google mentioned four critical vulnerabilities that were fixed in this month's update: CVE-2022-20472, CVE-2022-20473, CVE-2022-20411, and CVE-2022-20498. These vulnerabilities affect versions between Android 10 and 13.
The remaining vulnerabilities addressed include privilege elevation, remote code execution, information disclosure, and denial of service issues.
High-risk vulnerabilities are often exploited by malware that infiltrates a device through a low-privileged path, for example. For example, by installing malware disguised as a harmless application.
But even if none of the current vulnerabilities are reported to be actively exploited, it's important to install new updates on your phone as soon as they become available.
One thing to note is that Android devices running version 9 and earlier are no longer officially supported, which means they will not receive monthly security updates. In these cases, it is recommended to upgrade to a newer device or install a custom ROM based on a newer Android version, for example: LineageOS.
Google Pixel device owners also received a major security update this month that fixes a total of 16 critical vulnerabilities in various system components. These critical vulnerabilities could allow an attacker to elevate privileges or leak information on the target device.