Apr 24, 2024 | Updated: 11:35 AM EDT
May 02, 2017 03:22 AM EDT
Google released the Android Security Bulletin for the month of May 2017, with updated security patches for the recently determined vulnerabilities. May 2017 Security Updates includes fixes for a wide range of vulnerabilities from critical to low vulnerability levels
Google has provided two security patch level thread to make it easier for OEMs to fix common vulnerabilities across the Android platform. Security patch level 2017-05-01 (partial) makes sure that all vulnerabilities up to the 2017-05-01 date have been addressed, while security patch string 2016-05-05 (complete) hints that all issues up to the 2017-05-05 date have been fixed. An overview of the exacting vulnerabilities that have been patched has been detailed in the official announcement post.
The total of 20 issues resolved in the security patch of 2017-05-01 and 98 in the 2017-05-05. As per the Google, the two security patch level strings provide "Android partners with the flexibility to more quickly fix a subset of vulnerabilities that are similar across all Android devices."
As noted by Google, the harshest of all patched vulnerabilities is one that could allow an attacker to remotely execute malicious code by using multiple mediums. Luckily, Google has had no reports of active consumer exploitation of these newly reported issues, as reported by XDA-Developers.
The user can get all the OTA download files for May 2017 for the supported Google Nexus and Pixel devices. In case users don't want to muddle with these files, the OTA updates should start rolling out automatically in the next few days for those products, users have to wait for the OTA notification.
As always, OTA updates will be rolled out to the Google Pixel devices and supported Nexus smartphones in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the factory images and full OTAs are also available from the Android Developers site in case the user wants to flash them manually.
