It seems Samsung has found itself in a bit of a security scramble. What was supposed to be a major security update scheduled for September has been pushed up to August. Why the rush? Well, it turns out the FBI recently managed to breach a Samsung smartphone belonging to a would-be assassin who targeted Donald Trump on July 13.
Samsung in Panic Mode
Let’s rewind a bit. Back in April, Google patched a vulnerability on its Pixel devices. All was well until it emerged that this flaw, known as CVE-2024-32896, affects all Android devices, including Samsung Galaxy phones. And here’s where things took a dramatic turn: the FBI successfully hacked into the Samsung device of Trump’s would-be assassin. The tool behind this breach? Cellebrite, an Israeli company specializing in legal hacking.
The alert was first raised by GrapheneOS, a group of savvy Android developers, back in April. They warned that this vulnerability could become a playground for forensic hacking firms. This heightened awareness finally prompted Samsung to accelerate its response. The fix, originally slated for September, is now rolling out in August.
More Trouble on the Horizon
As if one vulnerability wasn’t enough, GrapheneOS has revealed a second issue, CVE-2024-29745, which could potentially allow espionage without your knowledge. A reassuring thought, isn’t it?
As of now, only Google’s Pixel devices are protected against this flaw. Samsung, on the other hand, has been notably silent about the issue until this recent update.
