Samsung Planning Regular Galaxy Phone Security Updates in Wake of Stagefright Concerns

Samsung is implementing a new Android security update process to fast-track security patches over the air when vulnerabilities are discovered, it said Wednesday. Security updates will release monthly, the company said. Samsung recently sent updates to Galaxy devices after reports of vulnerabilities in Google’s Stagefright media playback engine that could allow an attacker to send a media file over a Multimedia Messaging Service, it said. “With the recent security issues, we have been rethinking the approach to getting security updates to our devices in a more timely manner,” said Dong Jin Koh, Samsung executive vice president-mobile research and development. “Since software is constantly exploited in new ways, developing a fast response process to deliver security patches to our devices is critical to keep them protected,” he said. Samsung is communicating with carriers around the world to implement the new approach, and details about models and timelines will be released soon, it said.