Google confirms Android hacked — what users should do

Throughout December, Google urgently strengthened Android security: the company released an unscheduled update and warned that two vulnerabilities were already being actively exploited by attackers. Against this backdrop, Google is promoting a new mode in Android 16 that reduces risks for smartphones that wait weeks for critical patches.

Forbes reports this.

Which hidden setting you need to enable

At the beginning of the month, Google released an emergency Android update with a warning: two critical system flaws were already being used in real-world attacks. Samsung quickly confirmed the release of its own security updates, but due to the specifics of the Android ecosystem, all Galaxy owners will need weeks to receive protection.

The problem affects more than just Samsung. All Android manufacturers except Google face difficulties quickly taking the "clean" Android updates, integrating them into their own skins, and releasing them to users. For new features this is already inconvenient, but for security patches such delays become a serious risk.

In this contrast, Pixel smartphones stand out: Google not only avoids slowing down with updates but is moving to even more frequent Android releases. For other manufacturers this creates an additional challenge. At the same time, the company offers an interim solution — a special setting that significantly reduces risks for those who must wait weeks or even longer for patches.

This refers to the new Advanced Protection Mode — one of the key security elements in Android 16. Enabling this mode activates a set of protective options: installing apps from unofficial sources is restricted, safe browsing is strengthened, dangerous connections are blocked, and additional mechanisms against malware, scam sites, and phishing attacks are turned on.

In essence, enabling Advanced Protection Mode makes an Android smartphone more "closed" from a security standpoint — in some ways closer to the iPhone’s protection model.

The Advanced Protection setting can be found in the "Settings" — "Security" / "Security & privacy" menu if the device has already been updated to Android 16. For users who do not receive security updates immediately, this does not eliminate the risk of patch delays, but it significantly reduces it. Enabling this mode becomes one of the most effective ways to protect your smartphone right now.

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