Android Gadgets to Get Monthly Patches After Security Flaws Boost

Google, LG, and Samsung Android devices will receive monthly security patches from manufacturers, amid increasing vulnerabilities that involve millions of smartphone users.

From this week on, Nexus devices will receive OTA security updates each month, in addition to the usual platform updates, according to Google. The first security update targets the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 7, Nexus 9, Nexus 10 and Nexus Player. This security update fixes issues in bulletins to partners through July 2015, including fixes for the latest libStageFright issues.

Nexus devices will continue to receive major updates for at least two years.

“We believe the combination of these approaches (“Application Sandbox” and Android Security Rewards Program) has led to there being fewer than 0.15% of devices with any kind of potentially harmful app installed, as long as apps were installed from Google Play,” according to Adrian Ludwig, Lead Engineer for Android Security.

Samsung Electronics will also implement a new Android security update process that fast tracks the security patches over the air when security vulnerabilities are uncovered. These updates will take place about once per month. The company has recently fast-tracked security updates to its Galaxy devices with the recent Android Stagefright issues working with the carriers and partners.

“With the recent security issues, we have been rethinking the approach to getting security updates to our devices in a more timely manner,” said Dong Jin Koh, executive vice president at Samsung Electronics. “Since software is constantly exploited in new ways, developing a fast response process to deliver security patches to our devices is critical to keep them protected.”

LG will also provide monthly security updates, “which carriers will then be able to make available to customers immediately.” LG said it’s “committed to bringing its customers the utmost in device security,” and released updates for devices vulnerable to Stagefight.

Last week, security researchers revealed the Stagefight but that affects roughly 95% of the 1 billion Android handsets and can be remotely exploited if a user receives a malicious media file over MMS.