Android September 2018 Patches Fix Critical Flaws

Google has released its September 2018 security patches for Android, which resolves more than 50 vulnerabilities in the operating system.

The September 2018 Android Security Bulletin is split into two parts, the 2018-09-01 security patch level, which resolves 24 bugs, and the 2018-09-05 security patch level, which addresses a total of 35 bugs.

Five of the vulnerabilities patched with the 2018-09-01 security patch level were rated Critical severity. Three of these are elevation of privilege bugs that impact System, while the remaining two are remote code execution flaws in Media framework.

“The most severe of these issues is a critical security vulnerability in Media framework that could enable a remote attacker using a specially crafted file to execute arbitrary code within the context of a privileged process,” Google explains.

Google also addressed High risk vulnerabilities in Android runtime, framework, Library, Media framework and System, as well as two Medium severity issues in Media framework and System.

Most of the addressed vulnerabilities impact Android versions 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1, and 9.0, but some were only found to affect Android 8.0 and newer platform releases.

Of the 35 flaws addressed with the 2018-09-05 security patch level, 6 are rated Critical severity, 27 are High risk flaws, and two are considered Medium severity.

The bugs were found in Framework, Kernel components, Qualcomm components, and Qualcomm closed-source components.

Last month, Google said that monthly patches are the recommended best practice for Android m
anufacturers and revealed that it has developed security update testing systems to ensure that vendors don’t omit patches when releasing security updates.

“Devices that use the security patch level of 2018-09-05 or newer must include all applicable patches in this (and previous) security bulletins,” Google notes in its latest advisory.

Also released this month, the September 2018 Pixel / Nexus Security Bulletin addresses a total of 15 vulnerabilities in Kernel and Qualcomm components. All of the bugs are rated Medium severity, Google reveals.  

The update includes a series of functional patches for Google devices as well. Thus, the firmware release improves battery charge in Retail Mode on Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, and also improves SW Version reporting and audio quality over car speakers on Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL devices.

Related: Monthly Patches Are Recommended Best Practice for Android, Google Says