The Android 7.0 Nougat has already been launched as Google announced last month that Nexus devices will start receiving it, whereas the iOS 10 is scheduled for release in a few days.
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While some manufacturers are quick to integrate new security patches, others are not so much.
Tip: you can check the patch level of your Android device in the following way: open the Settings application on your device and find the about link on the page.
Google, which develops Android, said that most phones had received at least two or even three of the fixes in previous security bulletins.
Google has released another large monthly batch of security patches for Android, this time fixing 55 vulnerabilities, eight of which are rated critical. There you should find information about the Android security patch level.
The 2016-09-01 security patch level covers fixes for 25 flaws in various components of the Android OS.
2016-09-05 – Everything in the 2016-09-01 patch, as well as patches for several kernel related Elevation of Privilege vulnerabilities, many Qualcomm driver-related vulnerabilities, and Elevation of privilege vulnerabilities found in other third-party drivers. However, according to Google, 2016-09-05 may also include “a subset of fixes associated with the September 6, 2016 security patch level”. If it is installed, it makes the device the securest.
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First, it provides manufacturers with options to prioritize patches and deliver some to their Android user base faster. It also allows manufacturers to pick and choose which security patch is a best fit for their devices. This becomes evident when you look at the different release dates for the September patches. Stagefright was first discovered a year ago and essentially allowed someone with bad intentions to take over your device and get all kinds of personal information without you knowing what was going on. Some of the vulnerable portions of the Android code had been patched in August, but this month’s security update completes the fix. This was meant to add some predictability to Android patches and indeed, some device makers committed to monthly security updates as well. For example, after the latest update, if your device shows a security patch level of September 6, 2016 then it has all applicable patches, but if it shows September 5, 2016, it may or may not include the two fixes in the 2016-09-06 patch level. So as you can see, this is not at “daily driver” level – it’s purely for testing and looking at how Nougat works with the OnePlus 3.
