Attackers could attack Android devices and, after successful attacks, execute malicious code on smartphones and tablets, among other things. Now, Google and other manufacturers of Android devices (see box to the right of this message) have released collective security updates for Android 8.0 to 11.

Google classified a “critical” gap in a warning message (CVE – 2020 – 0449) as particularly dangerous. According to the description, an attacker in the vicinity of a vulnerable device could execute their own code on devices by sending a specially prepared transmission that is not described in detail. If this succeeds, devices are generally considered to be completely compromised.

In addition to Google, other manufacturers regularly publish security patches – but mostly only for some product series. Devices from other manufacturers receive the updates much later or, in the worst case, not at all.

Devices permanently unusable? Gaps in other frameworks are also considered critical and Qualcomm components. After successful attacks, attackers could, according to Google, put devices into a permanent DoS state. What this means in detail remains unclear. But it reads as if devices would become unusable as a result.

To prevent attacks, Android users should update their devices. Is in the settings for Security Patch Level 2020 – 11 – 01, that has already happened. The entry 2020-11-05 indicates that in addition to the latest security updates, older patches have also been installed.

gets Google’s Pixel series extra security updates this month. As one can read in an article, the vulnerabilities are classified with the threat level “moderate”. They concern, among other things, WLAN components from Qualcomm. What attackers can do after a successful attack is currently unclear.

(des)