Verizon Wireless has started rolling out a software update for the Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge, Galaxy Note 5, and Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, pushing out a bevy of security fixes to these handsets that address the BlueBorne vulnerability. The software package also includes the October 2017 security patch initially released by Google earlier this month.
The latest software update for the individual Galaxy devices is identified by the different new software versions, which are G930VVRS4BQI1 for the Galaxy S7, G935VVRS4BQI1 for the Galaxy S7 Edge, N920VVRS3CQI3 for the Galaxy Note 5, and G928VVRS3CQI3 for the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus. The latest BlueBorne security patch continues to extend the plethora of fixes to all other eligible devices in a gradual manner. For those who might not be familiar with BlueBorne, it is a Bluetooth exploit that affects the vast majority of Android handsets and could allow attackers to take control of your device. The vulnerability is considered to be harmful because an attacker can carry out any malicious activity through the Bluetooth radio of an Android device even without having to be paired with another device or set to the “discoverable” status. The Bluetooth radio only needs to be turned on for the BlueBorne exploit to work, no further action required from the device owner. The vulnerability could also let other forms of malware and viruses to self-replicate through the Bluetooth radio of an affected device as well as other Bluetooth-connected devices including speakers. It should be pointed out that the September 2017 Android security patch already contains a set of fixes for the BlueBorne exploit, though Samsung opted not to roll out the patch to its Galaxy devices and instead chose to release a separate patch for the vulnerability.
In order to download and install the latest security patch for BlueBorne for your Verizon Galaxy handset, simply go to the Settings app of your phone and select System updates. Then you may need to follow further instructions on your screen to update your device. Keep in mind to perform the update over a Wi-Fi connection and charge your phone up to 50 percent at least. Verizon also released a related patch for BlueBorne to several other handsets earlier this month.