Last year saw Google make an official change to the way it handles its software updates thanks to the Stagefright vulnerability.
Since then, the search engine giant has been rolling out monthly security patches for all of its Nexus smartphones and tablets. The same has also been adopted by a huge number of Android OEMs following Google’s advice to do so in a bid to prevent a repeat of such an event as last year’s.
Just like the company has been doing with previous months, it is now the month of May and as a result, those using Google Nexus devices can download and update their devices with the latest Android security patch. This month’s update brings the usual – fixes to bugs and errors across the entire board – however, there are some procedural changes that see the bulletin expanded to include a list of all vulnerabilities with respect to all Android devices.
There is even more to this month’s update. According to Google, the monthly updates’ name shall be changed to Android Security Bulletin so as to include a broader range of vulnerabilities affecting all Android devices. Furthermore, Google has also made some significant changes to the severity ratings, updating them such that they are aligned closer with real world impacts to the users. In short, the new Android Security Bulletin will list whether a given vulnerability affects a Google Nexus smartphone or tablet.
Update available for Google Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus Player and others
The new Android Security Bulletin has already been availed for all Google Nexus devices that include both variants of the Nexus 7 (2013) and Nexus 9, Nexus 5 and 5X, Nexus 6 and 6P as well as the Google Nexus Player and Pixel C tablet.
In addition to coming in with numerous fixes, the new update takes care of 24 Google Nexus vulnerabilities, with the most severe of them being a security hole that could lead to remote execution when media files are being processed.
The update is available for manual updates via factory images, but this is for those who can’t be patient for a few days before Google actually starts rolling it out. Be warned that proceeding with flashing factory images on your Google Nexus device will wipe all locally stored data. With this in mind, it is advisable that this route be taken by savvy users. As for the rest, waiting for an OTA update is the ideal option.