The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), part of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has issued a critical warning for users of Android OS versions 12, 12L, 13, and 14. This advisory comes in response to newly identified vulnerabilities in the Android operating system.

According to the advisory, these vulnerabilities pose significant risks, potentially leading to unauthorized access to personal data, privilege escalation, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks that could disrupt device functionality. CERT-In has noted that these flaws are present in various components of the Android OS, making the situation particularly alarming.

The vulnerabilities affect several key areas, including the Framework, System, Google Play system updates—particularly within the Remote Key Provisioning subcomponent—and the Kernel. External components provided by technology suppliers such as Arm, Imagination Technologies, Unisoc, and Qualcomm are also involved. Exploitation of these weaknesses could enable attackers to access sensitive information or gain control over the device by elevating their privileges.

Given the increasing use of smartphones for sensitive tasks such as online banking, accessing confidential data, and real-time location sharing, maintaining robust security is crucial. Devices running outdated versions of Android, which lack the latest security patches, are especially vulnerable to cyberattacks. Older versions often have unpatched vulnerabilities that are more easily exploited by attackers.

While Google frequently releases updates to address these vulnerabilities, many users delay installing them due to concerns about data usage, limited storage, or the inconvenience of updating. However, neglecting these updates can leave devices exposed to threats.

CERT-In urges users to regularly check for and install security patches from Google to safeguard their data and ensure the security of their Android devices.

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