Google has kick-started the year with a fresh set of security fixes for Android devices, as reported in the January 2021 Android Security Bulletin. This contains information about the Open Source Project (AOSP) repository that’ll be released anytime with the alleged security vulnerabilities that could affect Android phones. One of them is an exploit in the System component which can increase the chances of a remote attack by a hacker. To neutralize this, OEMs can implement fresh code implementations for the Android security platform and Google Play Protect.
While other OEMs may take time to implement these changes in their monthly security patches, Google has already announced the rolling out of the patches for Pixel devices. Barring the Pixel and Pixel 2 XL, all the Pixel series phones will get the security fix this month.
Good news for devices like the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a, which have been reported to have been plagued with issues like audio anomalies (speaker noise), auto brightness response, auto-rotation response, restarting apps, and the inability to connect with the MVNO networks. This larger security update will be tagged along with fixes to these irking issues.
The OTA will be rolled out for the above-mentioned Pixel devices anytime as we speak in a phased manner. If you can’t wait for the update and want to sideload the OTA file by flashing your Google device, then that is also an option you can try.
Samsung is another manufacturer that’s going to bring this Security Patch Level (SPL) to the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S9 series. The OTA update G98xU1UES1CTL5 will be initially available for Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered US carrier unlocked variants of S20. The Galaxy S9/S9+ global Exynos variants will also get it via update build G96xFXXSDFTL1.