Top security researcher recommends you only buy Nexus or Samsung devices

In the Android world, security concerns are so widespread that rarely does a week go by that we don’t have to touch on it in some form or another. At Google I/O 2016, Android developers cited security issues on the operating system as being the largest problem the team is having to deal with. In spite of efforts on the part of Google, manufacturers, and even the FTC and FCC, security patches simply aren’t getting rolled out to devices in a timely enough manner. It’s gotten so bad that one top security research recommends Android users only buy Nexus or Samsung devices.

Word comes to us via Duo Labs that Gal Beniamini, a respected security expert and member of Qualcomm’s Product Security Hall of Fame, demonstrated a serious security vulnerability affecting all devices that had not yet received May’s monthly security patch. Since 57 percent of smartphones in the Android ecosystem have yet to receive that patch, this means that the majority of devices are vulnerable to this particular exploit.

Of the devices being tested, only Nexus devices and recent Samsung Galaxy devices demonstrated substantially improved security measures since a similar test was run back in January. Because of this, researchers are saying that they can’t really advise buying any other brands from a security standpoint.

[We] find the only Android devices that we can recommend without major reservations are Nexus and, now, Samsung devices, provided they keep releasing those security updates quickly.

What are your thoughts regarding this report? Are concerns about Android security being exaggerated, or is this evidence enough to convince you to bail from your favored brand? Let us know your take in the comments below!