THE Samsung update that patches up nearly 60 cyber flaws is finally being rolled out to more phones.
It is currently available to download on seven Galaxy devices. Check the full list below to see if your handset is eligible.
The July 2024 security patch, dubbed One UI 6.1.1, fixes several backdoor routes that hackers can use to break into people’s phones and access their data.
There are 58 vulnerabilities that have been fixed, including 25 that affect all Android devices and 33 that impact Samsung phones specifically.
Of the 25 Android flaws, four are “critical” issues, and the rest have been categorised as “high” risk.
Fortunately, none of the vulnerabilities were exploited by hackers before they were discovered, according to the published security notes.
Instead, cyber researchers – or bug catchers – found the vulnerabilities and privately disclosed them to Samsung, usually for a ‘finders fee’.
One “high” risk security flaw impacted One UI Home, the app that lets users customise their home screen.
The flaw, discovered more than a year ago, allowed hackers “improper access control” in the app.
However, user interaction was required to trigger this vulnerability, making it harder for hackers to exploit.
Another “moderate” security gap affected Samsung’s Secure Folder, which is used to store private photos, videos, files and apps behind a passcode or biometric lock.
The bug allowed “physical attackers to bypass authentication” under certain conditions.
It’s unclear what these conditions are. However, user interaction was, again, required to exploit this bug.
The Galaxy A55 became the first Samsung smartphone to receive the July 2024 update last week.
Earlier this week, Galaxy S21 series phones also received the update.
The latest phone to receive the update is the Galaxy A14 5G.
Only eight Samsung devices have received the update so far, including:
To download the update, open Settings > Software Update > Download or Install.
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