Google’s December security update eradicates “critical” Android vulnerability

Google released the December Android security update today. This update includes a patch for a critical Android vulnerability called CVE-2023-40088. The vulnerability could have been used by attackers to place their own code into the system of a target phone without the phone user’s knowledge or permission. Google mentioned this flaw in the Android Security Bulletin and classified it as “critical.” The update also fixed 84 other vulnerabilities.

However, the update did not include an update for the Pixel phones. That’s because the December Pixel update will be a Quarterly Platform Release known as the Pixel Feature Drop. This update will bring many new features for eligible Pixel handsets. One feature coming for the Pixel 8 Pro is Video Boost, which sends a copy of the video recorded by the phone to Google’s cloud for computational photography capabilities to “boost” it.

The Pixel Feature Drop will be released separately, and Google prefers to make a big deal about it. So, Pixel users should keep checking for the update, as it could happen at any time.

It looks like Google is back to releasing its monthly updates on the first Monday of every month. The November Android security update was released on the first Monday of November, and today the December security update was released on the first Monday of December. Whether Google remains committed to this schedule in the future is unknown.

This news is essential for anyone using a Pixel phone or any Android device, as it highlights the importance of keeping devices updated with the latest security patches. Make sure to stay informed about any new software updates for your device.