Urgent warning to all Android phone owners – it is “crucial” that you act today

GOOGLE has urged all Android phone owners to download the latest security patch to ensure devices are protected.

There are a number of security vulnerabilities affecting Android devices, Google explained.

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The latest patch aims to fix 40 potential security issues.

“Android Security Patch Level refers to a monthly manifest of security patches rolled out by Google to address security vulnerabilities and malicious code exploits in the Android operating system.”

“The more current your patch level, the less vulnerable your device is to security breaches,” cybersecurity blog MalwareBytes Labs said.

The update is available for Android 10, 11, 12, 12L and 13.

Android phone owners will be notified of the software update through their device.

Apart from checking for software updates, all Android users should regularly check their app permissions, according to cyber experts.

This means you might catch an app examining your personal information.

Usually, you see permission requests when you install an app on your Google phone for the first time.

Or they might show up when you try to access a new feature in an app.

You will be asked to give permission to something like the microphone or your texts.

However, cyber experts from security firm Avast say you should keep a close eye on these requests.

“App permissions sound great in theory, but they can make your device insecure or slow down your phone if the app is misbehaving,” Avast explained.

Latest Android Version – How to update your Android

Android phones are tricky as the latest updates don’t arrive for everyone at the same time.

The latest update depends on your smartphone model.

So make sure you have it by going to Settings > About phone > Android version.

There you can see if you have the latest Android update.

You can also check if you have the latest Android security update.

Google released security patch 2023-01-05 in January 2023, so having that is ideal.

To update your Android phone, go to Settings > System > System update.

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