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Google's Pixel update bonanza also includes critical October 2024 security patches
- Google is including the October 2024 fixes from the Pixel Update Bulletin and Android Security Bulletin with the Android 15 platform update for Pixel devices.
- The Pixel Security Bulletin contains 29 fixes specific to Pixel devices, including fixes for five critical elevation-of-privilege vulnerabilities.
Alongside the release of Android 15 and the October 2024 Pixel Feature Drop, Google is also rolling out the Pixel Update Bulletin and Android Security Bulletin for this month in this update festival. These patches are critical in ensuring that your device remains in its most secure state, and we generally recommend updating to the latest available security patches.
To confirm you are on the latest update on your Pixel device, go to Settings > About phone, and confirm that the Android version shows as Android 15 and the Android security update shows as 2024-10-05. Further, your build number will be AP3A.241005.015. This applies to the following Pixel devices:
- Pixel 6
- Pixel 6 Pro
- Pixel 6a
- Pixel 7
- Pixel 7 Pro
- Pixel 7a
- Pixel Tablet
- Pixel Fold
- Pixel 8
- Pixel 8 Pro
- Pixel 8a
- Pixel 9
- Pixel 9 Pro
- Pixel 9 Pro XL
- Pixel 9 Pro Fold
The Android Security Bulletin includes security fixes that apply to the entire Android platform, while the Pixel Update Bulletin restricts itself to Pixel-specific fixes. The Bulletins are listed separately, but both updates are clubbed together for Pixel devices. For supported Pixels eligible for the platform update, the update is rolled out as part of the Android 15 update, so this one update will handle all the security patches and the Android platform update.
To complicate matters even further, the Android Security Bulletin contains patch levels 2024-10-01 and 2024-10-05. The first patch fixes nine vulnerabilities, while the second patch fixes an additional nineteen vulnerabilities (though not all fixes will apply to the Pixel, given the hardware). The Pixel Security Bulletin contains 29 fixes specific to Pixel devices, of which five are critical elevation-of-privilege vulnerabilities.
If all of this sounds confusing, fret not, as you don’t really have to do anything. Simply ensure that your device has installed the latest updates available to it. On your Pixel device, go to Settings > System > Software update and download and install any updates available.
Non-Pixel users will also get the October 2024 Android security patches, depending on your OEM’s phone update policies. Manufacturers like Samsung are very quick to roll out security patches for their portfolio, so stay tuned for an update reaching your supported phone.