Google Just Fixed 43 Security Vulnerabilities in Android
Google’s first Pixel Drop of 2025 took place this week, introducing a long list of updates for the company’s flagship phones, tablets and watches. Google followed the update closely, releasing the March 2025 Android Security Bulletin , which fixed 43 malicious bugs, including two zero-day vulnerabilities that could be actively subject to “limited targeted exploitation” on devices running the Android OS.
The patches cover a variety of issues, from flaws that allow attackers to remotely execute code on vulnerable devices to issues with Qualcomm and MediaTek components. The two zero-day (highest severity) exploits are identified as CVE-2024-43093 and CVE-2024-50302, both of which are “privilege escalation” vulnerabilities. According to Bleeping Computer , the former allows attackers to access sensitive data by bypassing the file path filter without any additional action on the part of the user. The latter is an issue in the Linux kernel that allows confiscated devices to be unlocked (and has reportedly been used by Serbian law enforcement to target activists).
Zero-days are security vulnerabilities that are publicly disclosed before the developer has a chance to release a patch. Even if current exploitation is limited to these Serbian authorities, it is important to protect your devices before these flaws are exploited by other attackers.
How to Make Sure Your Android Device is Updated
In most cases, all you need to do to fix security flaws on Android is update your device when you receive a notification about it. Google is releasing patches for its own Pixel phones and Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code, and is also warning other manufacturers like Samsung, Motorola and OnePlus that updates are coming.
Devices running Android 10 and later may receive both security and Google Play system updates. The current batch of fixes applies to AOSP versions 12, 12L, 13, 14, and 15, with the most recent dated March 05, 2025.
If you’re unsure whether your Android device has been updated, or think you may have missed a notification, go to your device’s settings to find your Android version ( About phone or About tablet > Android version ) and check the update status ( System > Software update or System update ). Follow the onscreen instructions to download and install available patches.