Google has now released March security patch for its Nexus devices. The new factory images are now live, and bring several important security fixes to the Nexus lineup. Based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, no new features or improvements are expected from this build as the focus seems to be bug fixing.
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Android 6.0.1 March security patch:
The Android March security release fixes about 16 security bugs discovered and patched by the Android and Chrome security team along with other independent researchers. Some of these exploits are rated critical with remote code execution ability through email, MMS, and web browsing. It is an important security update as the bugs range from moderate to critical in their severity rating. While Google claims that there are no reports of these exploits being used in the wild, users are recommended to update their Nexus devices to the latest firmware update as soon as they receive the over the air notification.
The most severe of these issues is a Critical security vulnerability that could enable remote code execution on an affected device through multiple methods such as email, web browsing, and MMS when processing media files.
It takes a few days until everyone on the Nexus lineup gets the OTA update. However, you can manually flash the firmware on your devices, using the factory images shared here:
- Pixel C
- Nexus 6P
- Nexus 5X
- Nexus 6
- Nexus Player
- Nexus 9 (LTE)
- Nexus 9 (WiFi)
- Nexus 5
- Nexus 7 2013 (WiFi)
- Nexus 7 2013
This month's firmware update doesn't bring any major features as its focus remains on fixing the bugs, improving security and enhancing the overall performance and stability of the operating system. We don't recommend users to manually flash the firmware on their devices unless they are confident about the process. If you need help with the flashing process, you can go to this complete guide for the steps.
You can also go to Google Developers for links and flashing instructions.
