Samsung has released its latest April 2022 security update, which fixes dozens of vulnerabilities – including a dangerous flaw that affects the Galaxy S22 lineup. The most high-profile patch in the latest Android update fixes the “Dirty Pipe” exploit that affects Android 12 phones such as the Pixel 6 and Galaxy S22. The vulnerability is concerning because it allows hackers to take complete control of a device.
In addition to impacting Android phones, “Dirty Pipe” also poses a risk to Chromebooks and Google Home devices such as the Chromecast dongle, speakers, and displays.
Indeed, Dirty Pipe affects Linux-powered devices, especially those running kernel 5.8 and above.
You can check if your Android phone is affected by opening the Settings app, then going to About phone, then Android version to get more information about your device’s core.
The “Dirty Pipe” exploit has already been used to root two Android phones, and the flaw could also allow malware to gain crucial access to the system.
Speaking about the threat earlier this month, Christoph Hebeisen – the head of security research at mobile security provider Lookout – said: “This makes it a very attractive exploit for attackers to use. expect militarized versions of the exploit to appear, and they will be used as the preferred exploit when a vulnerable device is encountered because the exploit is reliable, plus it may well be included in rooting tools for users rooting their own devices.
The Galaxy S22 was among the first devices to receive the latest Samsung security update over the air.
The April 2022 patch began rolling out towards the end of last month, with Samsung releasing patch notes for the update this week.
This came as the update was released for more Samsung devices over the past few days, such as the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Note 10 Lite.
The patch also rolls out the One UI 4.1 upgrade to even more handsets. This operating system upgrade brings a number of minor changes like improvements in RAM Plus, color palette, smart widgets, and more.