How to Update Your Super Old Android Without Being Jailbroken
If you have an old device that no longer receives updates, then there is a high probability that someone somewhere will find and take advantage of a vulnerability in it that no one else is interested or can fix. This is why we preach that you should always update your Wi-Fi router to the latest firmware, and the same goes for your old school Android phone, especially with the news that over 1 billion older Android devices are no longer receiving security updates. … …
Report from which one? claims that two in five Android users worldwide are no longer receiving security updates for their older Android devices. And while that might seem like something you can just brush it off as who cares about old devices anyway , it’s obviously not that hard to take advantage of these gaping security holes. How what? describes:
The experts took several affected phones and tablets into their labs, including phones that can still be bought from online markets like Amazon, and found they could easily be affected by a range of malware and other threats.
Researchers tested a range of phones, including models from Motorola, Samsung, Sony and LG / Google, and found vulnerabilities to hacks, including the possibility of identity theft, a hacker gaining complete control of the phone, or large bills for services that the owner of the phone is hiding. Used myself.
Devices that have recently dropped out of support may not have immediate issues, but without security updates, the risk of being compromised for the user increases exponentially. Generally speaking, the older the phone, the higher the risk. “
In other words, if you are using an earlier version of Android than Android 8, you no longer receive regular security updates. And even if you are running the latest version of Android OS as much as possible, there is still a chance that the protections will not be sufficient to protect you from more sophisticated malware.
Update your device (as much as possible)
What can you do? First of all, make sure you update your device to the latest version of the operating system that it can work with. If you do not know how to do this, then go to the “Settings” application of your device and click ” System”> “Advanced”> “System update” . (The exact route you take may differ depending on your device.)
Get antivirus protection
If you’ve updated as much as you can and want to stay on your device, install a trusted third-party antivirus / anti-malware app . I know this seems like overkill for most people, but you will need the maximum protection you can get if your operating system does not receive many (or any) frequent updates. (And even if that, again, your old OS may still have insecure vulnerabilities.) It also doesn’t hurt to download a reliable ad blocker that can protect against rogue domains.
I usually think that most people don’t need an antivirus app for Android, especially if you don’t download apps with sketchy audio, or worse, don’t download apps to your device. That said, if you’re stuck with an older version of Android, every little detail will help. And please stick with Google Play Store apps that don’t have weird-sounding names, reviews, or made-up descriptions.
Switch to a third party OS
Alternatively, you can ditch “stock” Android entirely and upgrade to a third-party OS like LineageOS . I cannot promise that you will never run into another security issue or vulnerability, but at least you will receive regular security updates that hopefully give you a little more protection than you would otherwise from your outdated, non updated operating system. system.
Or just buy a new phone
Finally, consider ditching your old device. You can get a decent budget Android phone (running Android 10) for around $ 200 . Moving to a more modern phone or tablet that is at least somewhat more immune to issues – although Motorola is notorious for its slow launch of major Android updates in this example – won’t kill you or your bank account. I would have preferred more speed, new features, and increased security.