Why is it important to update my Android phone?
A shocking number of Android devices are behind the latest update. Statistics show that 75% of them are running an outdated operating system.
Now consider this along with the fact that mobile devices make up an average of 60% of a company’s endpoints and that Android devices are approximately 48% of the mobile market share in the UK. You can see how this could impact a company’s data security.
We rely on mobile devices for just about everything we do, from staying in touch with friends and family to receiving and sending emails. The amount of data stored in mobile apps can also be quite large and at risk, if the phone isn’t properly protected.
It’s vital to keep your Android phone properly updated to avoid a breach of data, ransomware infection, spyware injection, or another type of security breach. With smartphones being a large part of the IT infrastructure of a business, it’s important to understand why.
Security Updates for Android Explained
You will typically see three different types of updates for an Android device:
· Firmware updates (these are the large ones that come about once per year)
· Monthly security updates
· Google Play System Updates (this is another security-type update)
Firmware updates can contain feature upgrades, bug fixes, and security updates that are folded within them. Security updates are focused on important security patches to make your phone more secure.
The battle over newly found vulnerabilities is an ongoing one for any software and OS developer. Hackers are always on the lookout for new vulnerabilities in existing code or code that was recently introduced through an update. Once they find it, they’ll create what’s known as an “exploit” to take advantage of that vulnerability.
Here’s an example:
Early in 2021, There were exploits that Google had to patch, which took advantage of bugs in older versions of Android, as well as Windows and Chrome. These exploits allowed hackers to gain access to user data from their devices, including their fingerprint profiles. Hackers were also able to gather a lot of personal data from the users’ phones. These exploits have since been patched, but users only receive the protection if they actually apply the necessary updates.
As these exploits are discovered, OS developers create fixes in their code to stop them. Those fixes are issued in security updates and patches to device users.
Where Do I Find Updates?
Updates that need to be installed can typically be found in your Settings under the Security area. If you select “Security Update” from that screen, you can tap a button that says, “Check for Update.”
Why Are Updates Important to Install?
The large percentage of Android users that are still running outdated operating systems points to users not understanding the critical nature of those updates and the dangers of mobile malware.
Because mobile devices are being used more often by people for both personal and work online activities, they are being increasingly targeted by malware attackers. In the 4th quarter of 2020, mobile malware volume increased 118%. And Android users are more at risk than iPhone or other mobile OS users because that OS is targeted far more.
98% of mobile malware is targeted at Android devices.
Updates are vital to install for the following reasons.
Ensure Protection from Code Exploits
If you don’t keep your phone properly updated, then you can end up having it infected with malware for which a patch was issued months or years ago.
The longer your device goes without vital updates, the more at risk it is of a hacker using a code exploit to gain access.
Ongoing Fixing of Bugs & Security Holes
Those small security updates that come through regularly bring with them both bug fixes and fixes for both small and large security “holes.” Even if a security vulnerability in a code may be small, several small ones used together by a hacker can lead to a large breach of your device.
Compatibility and Feature Updates
Those updates also bring you feature and compatibility upgrades that might be needed to improve your user experience. For example, you may find that you can take advantage of more flexibility in a particular app, or you might gain better control over your alerts and notifications.
So, updates contain helpful productivity and user experience features as well as those vital security patches.
Does Your Business Have a Way to Automatically Update Company Mobile Devices?
Too many small and mid-sized companies aren’t keeping track of updates on mobile devices used for business. BrightSkye can help your UK business put a simple mobile device management strategy in place to keep those devices and your network better protected.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation at 0141 212 2240 or reach out online.
References linked to:
https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2020/04/07/mobile-security-60-percent-problem/
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