Urgent warning issued to everyone with an Android phone

Android telephone users are being warned to update their instrumentality (Image: Getty)

Mobile users with an Android telephone are being warned to update their telephone to guarantee it has the latest information features to support against hackers.

The update comes aft 2 bugs were detected that allowed hackers to instal malware oregon bargain files connected people’s phones without needing a password, and besides summation power of phones and marque them crash.

Google highlighted the issues successful a recent information bulletin which details astir 50 cybersecurity flaws discovered successful the erstwhile Android software.

The 2 bugs were the astir terrible of the cyber problems identified, with Google describing them arsenic a "high information vulnerability".

Google has fixed some issues and is informing Android users to instal the latest February 2025 information update to guarantee their telephone is protected. The latest update fixes each of the cybersecurity flaws identified successful the erstwhile Android software.

Google said: "Exploitation for galore issues connected Android is made much hard by enhancements successful newer versions of the Android platform. We promote each users to update to the latest mentation of Android wherever possible."

The bundle update volition rotation retired connected Google Pixel devices immediately, portion Android phones from different manufacturers, similar Samsung, volition person it later.

Mobile telephone users are advised to cheque the settings connected the instrumentality and look for either the 2025-02-01 and 2025-02-05 information spot levels.

Suspicious apps and files are intimately monitored connected Android devices done Google Play Protect, which checks your instrumentality and apps for harmful behaviour and helps support your information private.

The diagnostic runs a information cheque earlier immoderate apps are downloaded and volition either pass you astir perchance harmful apps, oregon deactivate and region them from your device. It besides issues warnings astir detected apps that interruption Google’s Unwanted Software Policy by hiding oregon misrepresenting important information.

Mobile users volition beryllium sent privateness alerts astir apps that tin get idiosyncratic permissions to entree your idiosyncratic information, and the diagnostic whitethorn reset app permissions to support your privateness connected definite Android versions.

Google explains: "Google Play Protect is connected by default, but you tin crook it off. For security, we urge that you ever support Google Play Protect on.

"If you instal apps from chartless sources extracurricular of the Google Play Store, Google Play Protect whitethorn inquire you to nonstop chartless apps to Google. When you crook connected the 'Improve harmful app detection' setting, you let Google Play Protect to automatically nonstop chartless apps to Google.

"Google Play Protect checks apps erstwhile you instal them. It besides periodically scans your device. If it finds a perchance harmful app, it might:

• Send you a notification. To region the app, pat the notification, past pat Uninstall.

• Disable the app until you uninstall it.

• Remove the app automatically. In astir cases, if a harmful app has been detected, you volition get a notification saying that the app was removed."