Google warns millions of phone owners to check setting TODAY as crooks ‘targeting' victims with mystery attack right now
GOOGLE is urging millions of phone owners to update their devices as soon as possible.
The company says it fixes dozens of security loopholes – some of which crooks may be using to "
target
" victims right now.
3
An important update is rolling out to millions of Android phones
Credit: Google
If you don't update your Android phone, you risk leaving your handset wide open to being attacked by cyber-criminals.
Google even warned that for some of the most severe bugs, user interaction "is not needed for exploitation".
That means you could be targeted even if you do nothing – you don't need to
The only way to guarantee safety is to update your Android phone with the May fixes.
Read more on Google
Google's latest update includes two patches – named 2025-05-01 and 2025-05-05 – which include 28 and 22 security bug fixes respectively.
"We encourage all customers to accept these updates to their devices," Google said.
Google is rolling out the patches right now, which means you should see it appear on your phone in the coming hours.
To check your phone's Android version, go to Settings > About Phone > Android Version.
Most read in Phones & Gadgets
Then to claim the latest updates, go to Settings > System > Software Update and follow the on-screen instructions.
DANGER PHONES
The list of devices getting the patch includes:
Protect your bank accounts: Enable Google's identity check today
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
Pixel 9a
Google hasn't revealed exactly what happens to victims of the attack.
The company warned that one bug "may be under limited, targeted exploitation".
But it typically avoids explaining exactly how attacks work – to prevent savvy crooks from taking advantage of it.
3
Make sure you update your Android phone regularly to get the best protections
Credit: Google
After all, it's unlikely that all potential targets will install the latest Android security fixes right away.
Updating your phone is one of the best ways to keep it safe, as Google
And if your phone is so old that it no longer receives updates, that puts it in serious danger of being compromised by crooks.
It's worth considering upgrading to a newer phone model that can get the latest upgrades – or hackers could take advantage of bugs that Google hasn't fixed on your mobile.
DON'T DELAY! UPGRADE TODAY
Here's what The Sun's tech editor
I know, I know – another update!
It seems like everything wants to update all of the time. Your phone, the apps, your living room telly, that smart toaster you got for Christmas.
Updating everything constantly is a real pain – and that's great news for hackers.
Digital crooks prey on people who don't bother updating their devices.
Tech giants go to great lengths to close down bugs in their gadgets and apps – delivering the fixes to you over the internet in the form of updates.
And if you're not installing those updates, you're not getting those protections.
It's like a tech company is telling you that someone has stolen your key, and is offering you a free lock change. Only it's almost instant, and far easier to sort.
If you don't take the update, the crooks can walk right in through your virtual front door.
Depending on the severity of the bug, a crook could spy on you, steal your private info, and maybe even pilfer your cash or defraud you.
It's just not worth the risk.
Security updates are one of your best defences against hackers, and they don't cost you a penny.
Plus you'll usually get some bonus features chucked into these updates too, so that's something to look forward to.
Picture Credit: Sean Keach
Google has also fixed a few non-security bugs for phone owners in the latest update too.
For instance, Google users spotted a strange bug that was making the quality of WhatsApp microphone quality very poor.
Google has fixed this, as well as some language issues and Bluetooth pairing problems for smartwatches.
If you want to make your Android phone even safer, check for an important Google security trick now.
3
Cyber-criminals love to target victims who don't regularly update their devices
Credit: Alamy
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Hit Fantasy game played by 40 million people warned it will close down in DAYS on some consoles
A FANTASY massively multiplayer online role-playing game is set to wind down on two consoles next week. At its peak, the title reached some 40million players. 2 The update is scheduled for 26 June, and is touted to be the biggest update yet for Black Desert Online Credit: SUPPLIED 2 Players can transfer their data across to a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S Credit: SUPPLIED But it's the end of the road for anyone still playing on a PS4 or Xbox One. From June 26, Black Desert Online will be exclusive to Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5. Other game studios are gradually doing the same, as they put all their energy into the latest devices and shift away from the old. A couple of days ago, online shooter Read more about game closures In Black Desert Online's case, developers apparently made the decision due to hardware limitations that make it difficult to introduce new content smoothly. "We understand that this news may be disappointing for our longtime Adventurers on these platforms," makers Pearl Abyss said. "Please know that this decision was made after careful consideration, with the goal of ensuring the future growth and evolution of Black Desert Console. "We remain fully committed to delivering you the best possible adventures in Black Desert." Most read in Gaming So, if you don't currently own a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S you'll have to dig deep and buy a brand new console if you want to keep playing the game. However, for those who do own one, the upgraded game will be available at no extra cost. OTHER GAME CLOSURES COMING UP Here's what to watch out for... Resident Evil ReVerse - June 29 Madden NFL 21 - June 30 Arizona Sunshine - July 1 Skyworld - July 1 Danmachi Battle Chronicle - September 29 WWE 2K24 - September 30 Madden NFL 22 - October 20 PGA Tour 2K21 - October 30 NBA 2K24 - December 31 Image credit: Alamy Fortunately data won't be lost either, as you can transfer your account and carry on where you left off. Even your purchased items and Pearls will be switched across, so all is not lost. WHY DO GAMES NEED TO CLOSE DOWN? By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun With most games online these days, tech companies need to maintain quite hefty servers to manage everything. It's no cheap business to operate with millions of gamers across the world. Naturally, people move on, leaving older games behind in the process. There comes a point where it's no longer viable to continue offering server access so studios shut them down. For some games that are entirely online this can render it completely useless. But others may have a way for you to continue playing solo still. You should usually see a prominent notification in the game warning you with instructions on what to do - provided you're still playing the game of course.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
I tried world's thinnest vacuum at Dyson's labs – skinny ‘PencilVac' is the SAS of cleaning gear with three killer perks
AM I really looking forward to cleaning? Dyson has achieved two impossible feats: making me thrilled about the idea of tidying the floor, and inventing the world's slimmest vacuum. I'm not sure which is more impressive. 10 I tried out the impossibly thin PencilVac at Dyson's Malmesbury labs Credit: Sean Keach 10 Dyson mocked up a miniature assault course for PencilVac testing Credit: Sean Keach 10 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach was decked out in proper testing gear for the occasion Credit: Sean Keach It's called the Before I even grabbed the thing, I was blown away. Surely this is just a broom in disguise? Is Sir James Dyson having me on? It measures a frankly ludicrous 38mm across. That's about three Dairy Milk bars stacked on top of each other. BIN-CREDIBLE! All of the usual Dyson tech – the batteries, bin, and motor – has been crammed into the handle. Read more on Dyson So you've got battery cells at the top, followed by the computer system, then a shrunken motor that's Dyson's fastest yet. Next comes the bin, which uses a new compression system to fit five times more dust than its apparent 0.08-litre capacity. After all, Dyson tells me that most of a 'full' bin is usually air – so there's plenty of room for squashing. Then there's a dust separation mechanism, brush bars, and a Fluffycones cleaner head with a cone design that shifts long hair off to the side – so it can be sucked back up instead of requiring you to cut it out with scissors. Most read in Phones & Gadgets You don't see most of this, of course. PencilVac just looks like a Dyson that's been hitting the treadmill. I'LL Naturally it all sounds like a vacuum cleaning dream, so I grab the handle and away I go. Watch Sir James Dyson unveil secret PencilVac, world's slimmest vacuum cleaner 10 You'd think the PencilVac was a broom if you squinted Credit: Dyson 10 The bin for dust and debris is built right into the handle's lower half Credit: Dyson It's feathery light and easy to manoeuvre. Dyson has built a kind of vacuum cleaning assault course for me that I whizz along effortlessly. I suspect my success is down to the gadget's hi-tech design and not my own cleaning skill – but they don't crush my dreams. This course has straights and hairpin bends – the Nürburgring of vacuuming. And at the end is a low shelf that I drop straight under. This thing lays almost flat – which is no surprise, given that is pretty much is flat. DYSON PENCILVAC – THE TECH SPECS Here's what you need to know... Size: 38mm x 226mm x 1,160mm (W x L x H) Weight: 1.8 kilos Motor: Dyson Hyperdymium 140k motor Motor RPM: 140,000 Filtration: Up to 99.99% (dow to 0.3 microns) Runtime: Up to 30 minutes Charge time: Four hours Cleaner Head: Fluffycones cleaner head (for detangling long hair and to-edge cleaning) Accessories: Rotating combi-crevice tool / conical hair screw for mattresses and stairs / magnetic floor-charging dock Picture Credit: Dyson 10 There's even room for a computer system with a built-in display Credit: Sean Keach 10 The PencilVac is built for manoeuvrability – and it really works Credit: Sean Keach It feels like a tactical weapon: the sort of thing that SAS squaddies would use if dust mites were the baddies. Helping this image is a built-in laser that exposes dirt and debris. It's the vacuuming equivalent of night vision goggles and a red-dot sight. I dart between objects with stunning agility. I was born to do this. The room fades away. I daydream about running off with it, and living out my days as a kind of vacuuming sensei, cleaning the most complicated floor-spaces I can find. But I can't become Dyson's Mr Miyagi just yet, because the PencilVac isn't out until 2026, and still doesn't have a UK price. SIR JAMES DYSON SPEAKS TO THE SUN Here's what famed British inventor Sir James Dyson told The Sun's Does PencilVac mark the beginning of a whole new era for vacuum cleaner design? Yes, it's a reinvention of the format of the vacuum cleaner – our third reinvention in fact! We started off by removing the bag to ensure vacuums didn't lose suction. Then we pioneered the simplicity and ease of cleaning with really powerful battery-powered cordless vacuums, which were lighter and much easier to use. Now, with the Dyson PencilVac, we're taking it a stage further, pioneering a new way to clean. All the technology is contained in a very slim handle that is just 38mm in diameter. The new Fluffycones cleaner head floats across floors making it very manoeuvrable as you clean; all while it detangles long hair, so you don't have to worry about that. A vacuum cleaner this thin must have seemed impossible for years – when did you first realise it was possible to actually manufacture a working device like this? When something seems impossible, it makes us as engineers want to solve it all the more! Especially if people say, 'It can't be done.' I've wanted to make a vacuum like the Dyson PencilVac for many years. But it required us to miniaturise everything about the product – which is a huge task. The diameter of our hair tools was the inspiration. Through lots of research, we realised that 38mm is the optimal size for most people to hold, and so this was the diameter chosen for our hair tools like the Supersonic hair dryer and Airwrap multi-styler and dryer. In order to fit it in the handle of the machine, we had to reengineer every component of the motor – down to the micron – while increasing its speed to 140,000RPM and maximising its power density for high-performance. It was clear that we couldn't use cyclones for the dust separation, because they were too big for the 38mm diameter, so we had to develop something entirely new. The new slim, in-line format meant we could use dust compression technology in a small diameter, but over a long area to maximise the bin capacity, all while ensuring effective filtration performance and no loss of suction. What was the biggest challenge to overcome in building the PencilVac? Developing the new Fluffycones cleaner head was perhaps the greatest challenge we faced – but also the most rewarding! We wanted to develop a cleaner head that would detangle hair, clean right up to skirting boards, and pick up dust and debris in all directions – a cleaner head that would solve many frustrations with existing cleaner heads. The new Fluffycones cleaner head features four conical brush bars. The challenge was engineering the drive system to ensure that all four cones, which are powered by two motors and four epicyclic gear boxes, spin at the same, consistent speed while maintaining its 7.5-degree angle for optimal pick-up performance. I'm delighted not only that we managed this, but in doing so made a vacuum cleaner which is a joy to use. Who do you see PencilVac being the perfect vacuum cleaner for? Once you've used it, and felt it float effortlessly across the floor, you'll realise it's unlike anything that has come before. It may be the only vacuum cleaner you need! Picture Credit: Dyson 10 The new Fluffycones head has a conical shape that pushes long hairs off to the side so they can be sucked back up immediately – so you don't have to cut them out manually with scissors CLEAN-UP TIME It's a thrilling bit of kit, which might be the first time that's ever been said about a vacuum cleaner. This thing is easy to use, takes up very little space, and gets into difficult nooks and crannies. It feels purpose-built for British homes. It'll make cleaning under and around the dining table an absolute breeze. A treat, even. It really is the SAS of cleaning gear: it's light and agile for tactical cleaning operations, it dispatches long hairs with ruthless efficiency, and it has whole-house endurance with a 30-minute runtime. I can already see myself arguing with my wife over who gets to use the PencilVac – but no matter who does, everyone's a winner. Maybe that's the real Dyson magic. 10 I was one of the first Brits to test out the Dyson PencilVac Credit: Sean Keach 10 Dual lasers allow you to easily see dirt and debris on your floor Credit: Sean Keach Read iconic British inventor Sir James Dyson's exclusive comment piece for The Sun here.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
I'm beating the heat with phone-controlled Dyson fan – sleep mode is great but best perk has nothing to do with cooling
I JUST visited Dyson's website and it told me 1,600 people were also looking at the same fan I've been trying out. I'm not surprised: it's 10 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach has been beating the heat with a Dyson fan Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 10 The hi-tech fan doesn't just cool you down – it'll warm your room up in the winter too Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 10 The fan even has a night mode to cool you as you sleep Credit: Dyson The name is a mouthful admittedly, but don't let that put you off. This posh fan is an elite bit of cooling gear, and would probably be better suited on a spaceship than my desk. It cools you down, obviously. You'd expect that for £699.99. But it does so much more. Somehow, I'm convinced it's absolutely worth the money – but first, let's talk about how it looks. DYSON HP09 DESIGN – THE LOOKS This is one of Dyson's quintessential bladeless fans. Read more on Dyson It's the classic design of legendary inventor Sir James Dyson, who recently spoke to The Sun about ambition and the future of Britain. They're To an observer, there are no moving parts. No whirring blades that risk slicing a fingertip off (and it doesn't make that whoosh-whoosh-whoosh noise either). There is a blade-like impeller in the base that draws air in and accelerates it, pushing it out to create a cooling airflow. But you don't see any of that. You just feel wondrously cold. The one I've been trying has a white and gold trim that should suit most rooms. It's not gaudy – but it looks fancy enough to justify the price tag. Most read in Phones & Gadgets The squat design means that it's fine to live on the floor, but can also sit on a desk if you prefer. Dyson Purifier for £699.99 – Watch Sir James Dyson unveil secret PencilVac, world's slimmest vacuum cleaner And it can oscillate up to a whopping 350 degrees, so you can send a breeze to everyone in the room. Or just can have it locked to cool you and you alone. The choice is yours. All in all, it's especially pretty and, as a bonus, your pals will be impressed by (and envious of) your luxe gadget. Especially in the heat. DYSON HP09 PERFORMANCE – HOT OR COLD? This fan heats and cools. The clue is in the name: Hot+Cool. It does both very well, though I think its real benefit is heating. Cooling is fine, and works best when the fan is pointed directly at you. 10 The fan uses Dyson's classic bladeless design Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun 10 It has a built-in display – and can even show air quality live in real-time Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun But the heating function can really warm up an entire room very quickly, even if you're not in the line of fire. Some Dyson fans only cool, so having one that does both massively increases the value for money. After all, you can use it all year round. The cooling really does work, even when it's not at max power . And its reach is impressive – I can sit across the room and feel the breeze. It's not particularly loud unless you put it on power level 10, and even then it's not awful. You can easily have a conversation over it. 10 The Dyson fan comes with a remote that magnetically snaps to the top of the machine Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun I can sleep through it at max power too. But for light sleepers, there's a night mode that dims the built-in display and lets it run especially quietly. That's probably the best way to use it, especially if you're sharing a bed and value your relationship. DYSON HP09 FEATURES – THE BRAINS The Dyson comes with a remote control, which is a handy way to control fan speed, cooling power, and rotation. But I prefer using the app, which is free to download and has all of the same buttons. It's better because I always have my phone, but I'm not always with the remote. And if I've forgotten to turn it off before I go out, I can easily check on the app and shut it down. DYSON HP09 PURIFICATION – THE REAL PERK What I've completely avoided talking about up to this point is the purification. 10 You attach filters during setup – it only takes a few seconds Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun Why? Because I'm saving the best until last. The real perk of the fan isn't the heating or cooling – but its ability to preserve your life by scrubbing the air of pollutants. This fan comes with a series of filters (you snap them in during the 60-second setup) that snag all kind of nasties that would otherwise be entering your lungs. I don't know about you, but I quite like my respiratory system. 10 The app has all of the features you'd find on the remote – and plenty more Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun All of this can be monitored inside the app I was talking about earlier. It shows exactly how polluted the room is (and by what – down to specifics, including dreaded formaldehyde) and you can watch the levels go down as the fan works its magic. You can also see air quality reports on the fan's built-in display, but the screen gives a much more detailed view. Heating and cooling is fine, but it's hard to put a price on your health . WHERE CAN FORMALDEHYDE COME FROM IN YOUR HOME? Formaldehyde is a polluting gas that you'll often find in homes Here's Dyson's list of sources for the gas... Paint Varnish Glue Air freshener Mattresses Household cleaners Carpets Particleboard Plywood Electronics Dryer sheets Nail polish remover Moth balls Toys Fireplaces Wood-burning stoves Picture Credit: Dyson Sure, you're paying a lot. You can get fans for significantly cheaper. If you're on a budget, don't buy this. But if you've got the cash to spare and want a super fan, you can't go wrong with this model. The filters will last about a year, and you'll get an alert when it's time to change them. And they promise to remove 99.95% of particles down to a shockingly tiny 0.1 microns. That means you're waving goodbye to mould spores, allergens, bacteria, viruses, and (as the name suggests) irritating formaldehyde, which can come from paint, furniture, carpets, tech, and more. 10 You can monitor the air quality of your home in the app from anywhere in the world Credit: Sean Keach / The Sun You might not "see" the benefits, but having the peace of mind that you're not breathing in rubbish will help you sleep easier. So will the fan, though. Dyson Purifier for £699.99 – Check out The Sun's best fans guide and read the Dyson Hot+Cool review by The Sun's Shopping team. 10 The fan can also pump out heat if you're feeling chilly Credit: Dyson
