Android Users In India At ‘High Risk’ Of Hacking, Stealing Of Data; Govt Issues High-Severity Warning

Android Users In India: The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In or ICERT) on Tuesday issued a “high” severity rating warning about vulnerabilities for Android-based smartphones and other device users due to flaws in the Framework, Google Play system updates, Kernel, Kernel LTS, Arm, MediaTek, and Qualcomm components.

The CERT-In has highlighted significant vulnerabilities in various Android operating system versions. Rated as a high-severity warning, these vulnerabilities pose a serious risk as they could allow hackers to control users’ smartphones.

“Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could allow the attacker to obtain sensitive information,” CERT-In said.

Android versions 12, 12L, 13, and 14 are affected, said CERT-In.

CERT-In’s latest advisory says that multiple vulnerabilities have been identified in Android that provide chances for mischievous people to exploit them for various wicked purposes.

These vulnerabilities (found in components like Framework, System, AMLogic, Arm, MediaTek, Qualcomm, and Qualcomm closed-source components) could enable attackers to obtain sensitive information, gain elevated privileges, execute arbitrary code, or cause denial of service conditions on targeted devices.

The risks associated with these vulnerabilities are significant. Attackers could potentially steal sensitive information stored on the users’ devices, including login credentials, messages, photos, contacts, and financial data.

Also, the hackers can gain complete control of the phone, allowing them to install harmful apps, steal data, or conduct surveillance activities without the user’s knowledge. Additionally, attackers could disrupt the normal functioning of the device by initiating denial-of-service attacks, rendering it temporarily unusable.

The CERT-In has asked the users to update their Android operating system with the latest security patch as soon as possible. This can usually be done by accessing the “Software update” or “System update” section within the phone’s settings menu. If users have not received a notification for the update, they are advised not to wait for it and instead manually check for updates.

“You should be cautious while using suspicious apps, granting permissions to various apps, and enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) to keep your device safe,” said the cybersecurity agency.

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In or ICERT) is an office within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Government of India. It is the nodal agency to deal with cyber security incidents and strengthens the security-related defence of the Indian Internet domain.