Samsung has warned of a major security flaw that’s presumed to affect many Exynos chipsets, which could potentially put users at risk of hacking. At high-risk vulnerability that affects all Galaxy smartphones and smartwatches which are powered by them. In the meantime, Samsung is recommending customers with these devices update their security patches until a fix becomes available. Here’s what you need to know.
More About the High-Risk Vulnerability in Samsung’s Exynos
The vulnerable Exynos chipsets include the Exynos 9820, Exynos 9825, Exynos 980, Exynos 990, Exynos 850, and Exynos W920. Devices affected by this issue consist of the Samsung Galaxy S20 series, Galaxy Note 20 series, Galaxy S10 series, Galaxy Note 10 series, Galaxy A21, Galaxy A51, Galaxy A71, Galaxy Watch 5, Galaxy Watch FE, and Galaxy Watch 4.
A month later after the initial report, Samsung has begun reportedly sending out security updates which include a fix for this vulnerability. As per Google’s Threat analysis group, This exploit allows the attackers to gain system privileges and execute code on vulnerable devices while performing actions as legitimate Samsung processes so they cannot easily be detected during system scans. These findings suggest that malicious code could serve as a hacker’s entry point to steal personal data such as bank account information, and private conversations, and even capture intimate media.
This is just one example of this exploit being used; however, in practice, Google stated that they have seen quite a few, and not only did foreign actors successfully exploit the same vulnerabilities to achieve remote code execution (RCE) but also establish initial access.
No details were given at this stage about the nature of the attack or who was behind it. The warning comes as a new report tells us that Samsung may skip its Exynos chips entirely for the next-gen Galaxy S25 series due to even worse production yields now. Owners of any Exynos-powered Samsung mobile devices mentioned should update their phones to the latest version and avoid downloading apps from untrusted websites or platforms.
FAQs
Which Exynos chipsets are affected by the vulnerability?
The vulnerable Exynos chipsets include Exynos 9820, 9825, 980, 990, 850, and W920.
What should users do to protect their devices?
Affected users should update their devices to the latest security patch and avoid installing apps from unrecognized sources.
