The Indian government has issued a cybersecurity warning for Android users, saying that millions of smartphones, tablets and smartwatches could be at risk of hacking due to several security flaws. The alert was released by the national cybersecurity agency, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), which monitors cyber threats in the country.
According to the agency, these weaknesses in the Android system could allow hackers to break into devices and access personal data. Because Android powers a huge number of devices in India, the warning could affect a large number of users. The government has advised people to update their devices as soon as possible.
What the government warning says
CERT-In has called these vulnerabilities “high risk.” This means hackers could misuse them to gain unauthorised access to Android devices.
The issue comes from security flaws found in parts of the Android operating system and some hardware components used in many devices. These include chipsets made by companies like Qualcomm and MediaTek, which power a large number of smartphones and tablets.
If hackers exploit these flaws, they may be able to run harmful code on a device, steal private information, or even take control of the system. In some cases, attackers could install malware without the user noticing it.
Which devices may be affected
The warning mainly affects devices running newer Android versions such as Android 13, Android 14, Android 15 and early versions of Android 16.
These versions are used by millions of smartphones from brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus and Vivo. Because of this, many users in India could potentially be affected if they do not install the latest security updates.
What users should do
The government has asked Android users to install the latest software updates released by their device manufacturers. These updates usually include security patches that fix such vulnerabilities.
Users should also download apps only from trusted sources, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and keep automatic updates turned on.
With smartphones now storing personal photos, messages, banking information and work data, keeping devices updated is one of the easiest ways to stay safe from cyber threats.