Android patches fix Drammer RAM attack, but not Dirty Cow exploit

Google released a new monthly batch of security patches for Android, fixing a dozen critical vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to compromise devices. One of the mitigated issues is a bit-flipping attack against memory chips that could lead to privilege escalation, but a more widespread rooting vulnerability in the Linux kernel remains unpatched.

While Google releases firmware updates for its Nexus and Pixel devices on the first Monday of every month, the security patches are shared with third-party device manufacturers one month in advance and are also contributed later to the Android Open Source Project to benefit the entire ecosystem.

Like it has done in recent months, Google has split this month’s security fixes into several “security patch levels,” to make it easier for manufacturers to deploy only fixes that apply to specific devices. The security patch level is a date string displayed in Android’s settings under “About phone” and indicates that the firmware contains all Android security patches up to that date.