Firmware
Samsung unveils December 2022 security patches: the vulnerabilities fixed
Samsung is always the first to give security patch updates to its Galaxy devices. The company often releases them even before the start of the month; for example, the company released the November 2022 security update for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 device in the last week of October. Most of the time, the Korean giant beats Google at the time of monthly security updates as it frequently releases security patch updates to Galaxy devices much earlier than pixel phones.
Samsung December 2022 Security Patches
According to the Samsung documentation, the latest patches include the fix to as many as 93 vulnerabilities, 67 of them common to (almost) all Android devices. Of the long list, 5 vulnerabilities are defined as critical, 63 high priority, and 12 moderate. Most of these vulnerabilities affect Galaxy smartphones and tablets with Android 10, Android 11, and Android 12, but some also touch the latest version of the robot. Among the latter, one concerns the RCS system, which would allow malicious actors to access the phone number of an incoming call. It also required action on the vulnerability that would allow access to the contents of the toast notifications of the Personal Area through the Nice Catch app (it is part of the Good Lock package).
Additionally, Samsung has also added some 13 patches with it, which are specially designed for Galaxy devices so Galaxy users can easily use the Galaxy devices without any worry about the security of their privacy and important data.
Moreover, Samsung has addressed some security loopholes and variabilities in several functions and apps such as SecTelephonyProvider, Telecom application, Samsung settings, RCS call, Samsung decoding library for video thumbnails, Exynos baseband, Nice Catch, WindowManagerService, llccphonebook, Qualcomm kernel, Contacts, Phone, etc. Samsung claims that all the mentioned apps and functions are now fixed and safe to use, and the company also promises that if there is any bug left apart from this, it will surely fix it in another update.
Which Samsung Galaxy smartphone will get the And December 2022 patches
In addition to the Google Pixels, the December 2022 security patches are already in distribution starting with Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, but they will arrive via a software update on many other models, most of them already with Android 13 and One UI 5 (waiting for the One UI 5.1). Among the smartphones that will receive the update with the latest security fixes we can mention:
- Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+ and Galaxy S22 Ultra
- Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+ and Galaxy S21 Ultra
- Galaxy S21 FE
- Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (already in distribution)
- Galaxy S20 FE
- Galaxy S10 Lite
- Galaxy Z Fold4
- Galaxy Z Flip4
- Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
- Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
- Galaxy Z Fold2
- Galaxy Z Flip
- Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
- Galaxy Note 10 Lite
- Galaxy A53 5G
- Galaxy A52, Galaxy A52 5G and Galaxy A52s 5G
- Galaxy Xcover Pro, Galaxy Xcover 5 and Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro
The list is probably not exhaustive, as Samsung will update other smartphones and maybe some tablets (despite the updates being quarterly for different models) and smartwatches (Galaxy Watch4, Watch4 Classic, Watch5 and Watch5 Pro). The December 2022 security patch rollout will last a few weeks: keep following us as we will keep you abreast of developments.
Samsung has rolled out the April 2024 security patch update to several Galaxy devices; however, due to the server limitation, it is not able to provide the update to all the eligible devices. Now the Galaxy A15 5G is getting the update.
Initially, the Korean giant rolled out the April 2024 security patch update in India. With the latest update, the company rolled out a new update with the firmware version number A156EDXS1AXDC. With the latest update, the company has only made some security-related enhancements.
For your information, the April 2024 update will bring you more than 40 fixes, of which Google has added 27 that enhance the Android OS functionalities. Along with this, Samsung has also added 17 more fixes that exclusively improve the functioning of the Galaxy devices.
Furthermore, the update could bring some new changes that internally improve the device’s functioning and provide enhancements for performance and stability. Additionally, if you are having any issues while using any of the functionality, you should update the device, as it may address the issue.
If you also want to take advantage of the latest update, you can check it by going to the software update menu in the system settings. If you don’t receive the update, then wait for some time as it takes to reach every unit of the device.
Samsung has rolled out the April 2024 security patch update for the Galaxy Tab S7 series. It has already rolled out the update in several countries, mainly Europe and Latin America. Now the device is starting to get the update in the US.
Verizon Galaxy Tab S7 and Tab S7 Plus Receiving April 2024 Update in the USA
Notably, the Galaxy Tab S7 and Galaxy Tab S7+ are receiving the update on the Verizon network with the firmware version numbers T878USQS7DXD1 and T978USQS7DXD1, respectively. With the latest update, the device will have proper consistency in terms of performance and security.
For your information, the April 2024 update will bring you more than 40 fixes, of which Google has added 27 that enhance the Android OS functionalities. Along with this, Samsung has also added 17 more fixes that exclusively improve the functioning of the Galaxy devices.
Furthermore, the update could bring some new changes that internally improve the device’s functioning and provide enhancements for performance and stability. Along with this, if you are having any issues while using any of the functionality, you should update the device, as it may address the issue.
If you are using the Galaxy Tab S7 series of devices in the US bound for Verizon, then you should start getting a new update. To do that, go to the software update menu via system settings. If you don’t receive the update yet, then wait for some time, as it takes time to reach every unit.
Earlier this month, Samsung officially announced that it will provide one UI 6.1 update to the 2022 flagship device in May. But now the company has surprisingly started rolling out the update to one of the midrange Galaxy A23 devices.
The Verizon network has spotted the One UI 6.1 update for the Galaxy A23, with the firmware version number A236VSQU3CXD3. It has also brought the latest security update in the form of an April 2024 security patch. With the latest update, there are several new features introduced that will add some new features and enhancements.
In detail, the latest update for the Galaxy A23 5G introduces a new battery protection feature that allows users to manage the application’s battery charging to prevent battery damage. There are some new changes in the clock customization, gallery, and Samsung account sections. It is important to note that there is no AI feature arriving in this update.
The update will also enable call continuity, mid-conversation device switching, and seamless communication across any device, such as a Galaxy table, computer, or watch, all connected to the same Samsung account. A small but important addition is a new toggle in the mobile network that allows users to turn off 5G if they don’t need to connect to the update.
If you are using the locked version of the Galaxy A23 on the Verizon network, then you can now update it to the latest version simply by going to the system settings and tapping on the software update. If it shows a new update available, then tap on the download button.