Google Nexus devices will be benefiting from the monthly updates program that the Android OS maker came in following the release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
This is true because there seems to be a new exploit that has been discovered in the Google Nexus line of devices. As a result, the search engine giant will be rolling out emergency security updates to take care of the vulnerability.
Google Nexus 6 and Nexus 5 are affected
Even though the company has already rolled out the Android security updates for the month of March, which all Google Nexus devices have already received (unless you have chosen to ignore the OTA notification on your device), there is a new mid-month security update that comes in to patch an exploit that is believed to be meant to harm quite a number of devices.
The devices in question here are the Google Nexus 6 and Nexus 5, however, there is no word of whether the rest of the Google Nexus smartphones and tablets will be receiving this security update.
According to Google, the new vulnerability allows a malicious application to affect the source code of a given software application right from within. As a result, users will be forced to flash the entire operating system out before restoring the phone to normal functionality. This issue is brought in by what Google’s says is a rooting application.
Google Play Store protection
Even though the company has already started rolling out the new updates for those using the slightly older Google Nexus 6 and Nexus 5, it seems there is still little to worry about. This is because all applications running on Nexus smartphones and tablets get to the device through the Google Play Store. Unless you are convinced to download and install the rooting application directly on the device using an APK file, you will be sure of staying safe and free from this trouble-causing exploit.
Even though Nexus 6 and Nexus 5 devices are at most risk, it is advisable that the mid-March Android security update be downloaded and installed by all other users of Google Nexus devices, including the latest Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X. As long as one is using a device running on Linux kernel v3.18 or later, they are in danger.
The update might as well show up on other devices running on the latest Android OS, so, if you happen to see any random OTA notification on your device, there is nothing to panic about, it’s just Google trying to watch your back.