Samsung Confirms Security Flaw in Galaxy Phones Made After 2014 GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Phones

Samsung Confirms Security Flaw in Galaxy Phones Made After 2014

Make sure you apply the latest security patch

By Rob LeFebvre Rob LeFebvre Associate Editorial Director, News UCLA California State University, Northridge Rob LeFebvre is the Associate Editorial Director, News for Lifewire. He has been a technology writer for more than 12 years with articles appearing in 148Apps, Cult of Mac, Engadget, and more. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on May 7, 2020 02:56PM EDT Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Phones Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Make sure you update your Samsung device with the company's latest security patch to avoid a flaw that could allow someone to remotely control your phone. Samsung Galaxy S6 / Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Samsung A security researcher at Google's Project Zero discovered a flaw in the way Samsung devices made after 2014 handle .qmg image files. How it works: According to the researcher, Android processes all images via a specific code process, called Skia, without any interaction from a user. The researcher was able to send repeated multimedia text messages to a Samsung device, which eventually bypassed built-in protections and delivered the attacker's malicious code to the device. What to do: According to ZDNet, the researcher sent the vulnerability to Samsung, who has patched the flaw in an update this week. You can see the update on Samsung's website, and check for it on your own phone. Bottom line: Security patches like this are just another way to keep your tech healthy. Make sure your Samsung Galaxy phone is updated to the latest version and you should be ok. Via: Forbes

Learn More About Mobile Security

Android Phone How-Tos, Help & Tips 5 Reasons iPhone Is More Secure Than Android Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Use the Emoji Keyboard for Galaxy Phones How to Update to Android 12 on Samsung How to Cast to Fire Stick From an Android Phone How to Unlock Your Samsung Galaxy Phone Patch Tuesday (Most Recent: October 11, 2022) How to Connect a Galaxy Watch to an iPhone 8 Tips on Basic Computer Safety How to Fix a Samsung Tablet That’s Running Slow How to Use Bixby on a Samsung Galaxy Phone How to Scan a QR Code on Samsung 10 Tips to Improve Your Android's Performance How to Use Samsung Smart Switch How to Take a Screenshot on Samsung iPhone vs. Samsung Phone How to Record a Phone Call on Samsung How to Update a Samsung Smart TV Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies