Google’s Latest Android Update Fixes 46 Security Flaws
Google’s latest Android security bulletin patches 46 security vulnerabilities affecting Android devices, one of which is a zero-day vulnerability in FreeType that may be subject to “limited targeted exploitation.”
The May security update includes fixes for a number of issues: most of them are related to privilege escalation, although there are a few information disclosure and denial of service vulnerabilities, as well as one remote code execution bug. All of them belong to the category of high severity. May’s patch also addresses vulnerabilities in components from Qualcomm, MediaTek, Arm and Imagination Technologies.
One active exploit
The zero day addressed in the latest update is a remote code execution vulnerability tagged with CVE-2025-27363. It affects FreeType, an open-source font rendering library, and allows attackers to exploit how the program handles certain files. The bug affects versions of FreeType 2.13.0 and below and was first reported by Facebook security researchers in March 2025, although details of how it was exploited have not been disclosed.
What Android users need to do
If you have an Android device, you should receive a notification to install the latest security update as soon as it becomes available. Google releases patches for Pixel phones and the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) core code, while other device makers—Samsung, Motorola, and Nokia—usually release updates around the same time.
This month’s fixes apply to AOSP versions 13, 14, and 15, with separate updates on May 1, 2025 and May 5, 2025 (the latter addressing all known issues). Note that Google ended support for Android 12 on March 31, meaning devices running this and older versions will not receive security updates, even though they may be susceptible to some vulnerabilities.
If you are unsure whether your device is patched, check for available updates in Settings > Security & Privacy > System & Updates > Security Update and follow the download and installation instructions.