Google this week published information on the first set of 2022 security updates for Android, describing a total of 48 vulnerabilities that were addressed across Android OS, Pixel devices, and Android Automotive OS.
The January 2022 Android Security Bulletin describes a total of 35 vulnerabilities addressed across two patch levels, the majority of which have been assessed with the severity level of high.
The first part of this month’s Android security update arrives on devices as the 2022-01-01 security patch level, addressing a total of 16 security holes in three components, namely Framework, Media Framework, and System.
The second part of the update – the 2022-01-05 security patch level – includes fixes for 19 security defects in Android runtime, Kernel components, MediaTek components, Unisoc components, Qualcomm components, and Qualcomm closed-source components.
According to Google, an Android runtime flaw, which impacts devices running Android 12, is the most important of these bugs. Tracked as CVE-2021-0959, the vulnerability leads to elevation of privilege.
“The most severe of these issues is a high security vulnerability in the Android runtime component that could enable a local attacker to bypass memory restrictions in order to gain access to additional permissions,” Google says.
The January 2022 Android security updates also bring an updated Kernel, the Internet search giant says.
For Pixel devices, a security patch level of 2022-01-05 addresses 10 other security holes as well. Per Google’s advisory, these affect Pixel components, Qualcomm components, and Qualcomm closed-source components.
On devices running Android Automotive OS (AAOS), a security patch level of 2022-01-05 patches all bugs detailed in the January 2022 Android Security Bulletin, along with three other vulnerabilities, Google notes in a separate advisory.
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