According to news reports, Samsung Galaxy users are being urged to update their devices with the latest software release, as it brings a critical security patch. The update fixes a vulnerability that could allow hackers to take over devices remotely and access sensitive data.
The flaw was discovered by researchers from the University of California, Riverside, who found that the Samsung Galaxy S10, S20, and S21 models were all affected. The vulnerability was found in the Samsung Knox security software, which is designed to protect the device from malware and other security threats.
Samsung Knox is a popular security software used by many companies and government organizations. It offers advanced security features such as containerization, secure boot, and trusted execution environments. However, the flaw discovered by the researchers could have allowed attackers to bypass these security measures and take control of the device.
The vulnerability was caused by a memory corruption bug in the Knox software, which could be exploited by attackers to gain access to the device’s kernel. The kernel is the core of the device’s operating system, and gaining control of it would allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device. Once an attacker has control of the device’s kernel, they can access any data stored on the device, including sensitive information such as login credentials, personal photos, and financial information. They could also use the device as a launching pad for further attacks on other devices connected to the same network.
The security patch released by Samsung addresses this vulnerability by fixing the memory corruption bug in the Knox software. Users are advised to update their devices as soon as possible to protect themselves from potential attacks.
According to the Daily Record article, Samsung has confirmed that the vulnerability has not been exploited in the wild, meaning that no attacks have been reported so far. However, the company has warned that the vulnerability is serious and could be exploited if left unpatched.
Samsung Galaxy users can update their devices by going to Settings > Software update > Download and install. The update is available for the Samsung Galaxy S10, S20, and S21 models, as well as some other Samsung devices.
To make sure your device is up to date with the latest updates installed one needs to:
- Go to the settings in their mobile phones and choose the option software update
- Tap on the download and Install option
- If the new software update will be available the device will download and install it. While, if already updated it will show the software is up to date.
