Google urges Android partners to apply latest security patches

Google releases a monthly security bulletin, and in their recent edition they have outlined their latest patches for Android systems, which you can find here. 37 vulnerabilities were highlighted in the bulletin, and one of them is a security flaw which could allow remote code access through the use of bluetooth, without needing any additional execution privileges. Google has urged users to update their devices to the latest version of Android, with the flaw being patched on Android 10, 11, 12 and 12L.

The other issues that Google have highlighted in their bulletin pose a threat to user security and the safety of their personal data. Google has urged app developers to and Android partners to bundle all of the issue fixes together in one update for users. The best way that you can have the best protection for your devices is to keep them up to date and install the current version of the software as soon as it is released to prevent the security of your device being impacted.

NCSC and ICO call on legal profession to support position on ransomware payments

 As we have discussed many times, Ransomware is now the biggest online threat facing organisations in the UK, and the figures are only rising sadly, with more and more ransoms being paid out to scammers each year. The NCSC, along with the ICO have asked for assistance from the Law society, as they believe that some organisations, after seeking legal advice, have been told to pay the ransom.

The advice from the government is to refrain from paying. Whilst it may seem like the easiest option in order to get your systems back up and running, there is no guarantee that you will actually get your data back, and your systems could still be compromised. In addition to this, paying the ransom also doesn’t mean that if you were to receive a fine from the ICO, that it will be any lower than it would otherwise be.

The NCSC has multiple guidance documents for mitigating the risks of a ransomware attack. You can visit their ransomware pages, or read their recently updated ransomware guidance for more information.