Google has released an urgent security patch for six serious flaws found on Android phones.
These vulnerabilities enable what security experts describe as a "no-touch" attack method. As the name suggests, criminals can remotely gain access to your Android phone — potentially allowing them to install malware or steal sensitive data — without any action from you. That's very different from the vast majority of scams, which need to trick you into clicking a dodgy link in an email, or entering your username and password into a sketchy website.
Without you lifting a finger, hackers can infiltrate your phone without you ever knowing it happened. Yikes.
The most alarming of the six flaws discovered in Android is a vulnerability called CVE-2025-48530, which is marked as "critical" and indicates that the software patch should be installed immediately.
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|It was the security team at Qualcomm that first discovered the flaw in Android
"Perhaps most concerning is CVE‑2025‑48530, a critical system-level vulnerability allowing remote code execution without user interaction," warned Adam Boynton, Senior Security Strategy Manager EMEIA at Jamf.
The security update addresses other vulnerabilities in the Android operating system that share similar characteristics. Flaws called CVE-2025-22441 and CVE-2025-48533 also permit unauthorised access without requiring you to click on suspicious links or download malicious files.
Even worse, there's evidence suggesting some of these vulnerabilities might already be in-use.
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That means it's a race against time to install the fix and protect your device before you stumble across one of the cybercriminals making use of the flaw. Security experts at US chipmaker Qualcomm were the first to discover the flaws, which are linked to the Adreno Graphics Processing Unit driver, which is responsible for the visual elements of the devices. It provided a fix to device manufacturers back in May.
"There are indications from Google Threat Analysis Group that CVE-2025-21479, CVE-2025-21480, CVE-2025-27038 may be under limited, targeted exploitation," Qualcomm stated.
There are still no specific details on how exactly the flaws, called CVE-2025-21479, CVE-2025-21480, CVE-2025-27038, could be used to steal or cause harm on Android devices.
While it's not confirmed how many people have fallen victim to these exploits, installing this update may be crucial for your protection in the future.
Last month, Google skipped its monthly security update for the first time in almost a decade. The US search company usually issues patches for dozens of vulnerabilities each month, so skipping this monthly ritual was both welcome (since it could indicate there were no flaws to be fixed) and slightly worrying (as the millions who rely on Android are still being targeted) sign.
If you have a Samsung, Honor, OnePlus, Nothing, Google Pixel, Motorola, or handset from any number of popular Android brands in your pocket, you should check the settings immediately to see if this new security update is available.
Google's own Pixel lineup will receive the patch first, with other Android manufacturers rolling out their versions over the coming weeks. Once you spot the system update notification, install it straight away and restart your device.
For most Android devices, you'll need to do the following — head to the or submenu in the Settings and tap on to manually check if there's new software available for your device.
This simple action will protect your phone from these vulnerabilities and any potential attacks associated with them. Security experts suggest that ignoring this update leaves your device exposed to hackers who could access it without your knowledge. Taking a few minutes to update and restart your phone now could save you from significant problems later.