Technologies

Google Warns Samsung and Pixel Phone Owners About 18 Dire Exploits

If you have these devices with Samsung Exynos chipsets, stay off Wi-Fi and Voice over LTE, or VoLTE, calls.

Google is warning owners of some Samsung, Vivo and Pixel phones that a series of exploits enable bad actors to compromise devices simply by knowing phone numbers — and the device owners wouldn’t notice a thing.

Project Zero, Google’s in-house team of cybersecurity experts and analysts, described in a blog post 18 different potential exploits in some phones using Samsung’s Exynos modems. These exploits are so severe that they should be treated as zero-day vulnerabilities (indicating they should be fixed immediately). With four of these exploits, an attacker has to have only the right phone number to get access to data flowing in and out of a device’s modem, like phone calls and text messages.

The other 14 exploits are less worrisome, since they require more effort to expose their vulnerability — attackers would need access to the device locally or to a cell carrier’s systems, as TechCrunch noted.

Owners of affected devices should install upcoming security updates as soon as possible, though it’s up to the phone makers to decide when a software patch will come out for each device. In the meantime, Google says device owners can avoid being targeted by these exploits by turning off Wi-Fi calling and Voice-over-LTE, or VoLTE, in their device settings.

In the blog post, Google listed which phones use the Exynos modems — inadvertently admitting that its premium Pixel phones have been using Samsung’s modems for years. The list also includes a handful of wearables and cars that use specific modems.

Phones from Samsung, including those in the premium Galaxy S22 series, the midrange M33, M13, M12, A71 and A53 series, and the affordable A33, A21, A13, A12 and A04 series.
Mobile devices from Vivo, including those in the S16, S15, S6, X70, X60 and X30 series.
The premium Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series of devices from Google (at least one of the four most severe vulnerabilities was patched out in the March security update).
Any wearables that use the Exynos W920 chipset.
Any vehicles that use the Exynos Auto T5123 chipset.

Google reported these exploit discoveries to affected phone manufacturers in late 2022 and early 2023, the blog post said. But the Project Zero team has chosen not to disclose four other vulnerabilities out of caution due to their ongoing severity, breaking with its usual practice of disclosing all exploits a set period of time after reporting them to affected companies.

Samsung didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Might Come in 5G and 4G Cellular Models

If the rumor proves true, the 5G Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 that debuted last fall.

Samsung’s next high-end Galaxy Watch could support faster 5G speeds, but if this leak is true, it will depend on where you live. The rumored Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might come in 5G and 4G cellular models, with availability for each smartwatch depending on the country.

According to the Dutch website Galaxy Club (and spotted by SamMobile), Samsung’s servers may have revealed a series of model numbers that point to 5G, 4G and Wi-Fi-enabled editions of the next Galaxy Watch Ultra, which would succeed the original model that debuted in 2024.

A representative for Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Galaxy Club website speculates that the 5G edition would be sold in the US and Korean markets, while the 4G edition would sell in the rest of the world. In the US, a 5G version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3, which debuted last fall. The 4G edition would have broader compatibility worldwide, since the earlier network is far more established.

It will likely be a few months until we hear anything official about the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung typically unveils its new watches in the summer alongside its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones. Last year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, but otherwise left the prior 2024 Ultra in the lineup for those looking for a larger 47mm smartwatch.

Technologies

2 Cases Show Supreme Court Isn’t Holding ISPs Responsible for Piracy

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 8, #1032

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for April 8, No. 1032.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The purple category is a fun one, once you see the connection. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: In the group.

Green group hint: Appearance details.

Blue group hint: Often found in gyms.

Purple group hint: They help you see.