If you have a Pixel smartphone, you should install the latest update as soon as possible That's because Google has fixed 50 security flaws

As reported by BleepingComputer, the search giant released these fixes as part of its June Pixel update Of the 50 patched vulnerabilities, seven are rated "critical" and 24 are rated "high severity"

The flaw of most concern (tracked as CVE-2024-32896) is a privilege escalation (EoP) vulnerability in the Pixel firmware In a post in this month's Pixel Update Bulletin, Google revealed that there are indications that this particular vulnerability "may be subject to limited and targeted exploitation"

Unfortunately, however, we probably won't know how this flaw was weaponized by hackers until a sufficient number of Pixel owners get a chance to update their devices Even then, Google, Apple, and other handset manufacturers are unlikely to provide details about the zero-day because they do not want to make things easy for hackers

One of the things that makes Google's Pixel device one of the best Android phones is that, in addition to the regular updates that other phones receive, it also receives separate security and bug fixes through exclusive features like Guided Frames, Audio Magic Editor, Best Take

As with any device, the easiest and best way to keep your Pixel phone safe from hackers is to install and regularly update new software and patches as soon as they become available

To update your Pixel phone, go to Settings, head to Security and Privacy, and tap System and Updates Here, scroll down to Security update and tap Install Restart the phone and the latest update will be applied

In addition to installing the latest patch, you also want to make sure that Google Play Protect is enabled on your Pixel phone this free pre-installed antivirus app from Google scans all existing and newly downloaded apps for malware It scans all of them for malware But for added protection, you may also want to consider running one of the best Android antivirus apps with it, as many of them also come with useful security extras like VPNs

Fifty security flaws may sound like a lot, but by finding and patching them, Google is ensuring that both you and your Pixel phone are safe from hackers