Google recently rolled out its April security patch for its Nexus devices, and it contains 29 patches for known issues. The April update also includes a patch for a critical security vulnerability that allows a hacker to perform a remote execution of a code on Nexus devices through multiple methods.
The Nexus security bulletin for April 2016 lists all the vulnerabilities that the update will tackle and is considered one of the largest to date. Eight of the issues are considered critical, 13 are high, while the rest are moderate issues.
"The most severe of these issues is a critical security vulnerability that could enable remote code execution on an affected device through multiple methods such as email, web browsing, and MMS when processing media files," Google said in its advisory.
One notable critical patch is for a rooting application exploit that was thought to have been fixed back in April 2014. However, it was only in February of this year that it became clear that it was not. Additionally, the April security update also patches vulnerabilities related to several Qualcomm hardware issues that, in the event of an abuse, may render the device to be permanently compromised. Vulnerabilities in Bluetooth, Wif-fi, Setup Wizard and Download Manager were all patched up.
TechTimes added that Nexus devices that should receive the April 2016 Security update include the Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6, Nexus Player, Nexus 9 (LTE), Nexus 9, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. These devices will receive the latest update via OTA (over-the-air) transmission and will take a few days to cover every device.
Users are advised to install the latest April update on their Nexus devices as soon as the update notice arrives on their devices. It is also suggested that users try to check the update manually, via Settings > About Phone > Software Update. A sufficient battery charge is also required to lessen the chance of power-related interruption. It is also recommended to use a stable Wi-Fi connection, if possible.
