BlackBerry recently let the world know that it has become the first Android manufacturer to be safe from all QuadRooter vulnerabilities.
The QuadRooter exploits were unveiled during the DEF CON hacking conference at the beginning of August. The security experts from Check Point explained that QuadRooter vulnerabilities are affecting a huge number of Android devices carrying Qualcomm chipsets.
Qualcomm responded swiftly by releasing patches to fix the issues, and three of them already showed up in Google's August security update. The fourth one is scheduled for the September security update from the company.
BlackBerry points out that, thanks to a secure boot chain that is embedded in all BlackBerry devices, the remaining issue is naturally mitigated. The OEM reacted immediately after hearing about the QuadRooter and started to develop, test and integrate a fix.
"I'm happy to announce that a patch for all of the QuadRooter vulnerabilities is now available for the Priv and DTEK50 users," says Alex Manea, the director of BlackBerry Security.
BlackBerry owners who purchased their handsets via ShopBlackBerry.com will be the first to receive the update, while the rest will have to rely on carriers to deliver the update. This should take several days at the most.
The Canadian company pushed hard to be the first OEM to offer fixes on all QuadRooter security issues, which makes sense considering that it dubs the DTEK50 "the world's most secure Android phone." By releasing the security patch first, the enterprise puts its money where its mouth is.
Installing the patch is easy enough: users simply have to go to Settings, About phone, System updates and look for the latest entry. The update should land on your smartphone in an over-the-air fashion, so it might be a good idea to be linked to a Wi-Fi when updating.
BlackBerry mentions that it takes great pride in cooperating with Google to keep the Android ecosystem safe from exploits "by becoming the first major OEM to patch all of the QuadRooter issues" on all its devices.
BlackBerry has a strong tradition of keeping its smartphones up to date.
Take the Priv, for example, the company's first Android-carrying flagship. The phone got updated after launch, and the latest software update rolled out at the end of May, bringing a Marshmallow beta OS to the handset. The update brought a vast array of fixes to the table, aiming to improve the overall experience, and you can read all about them in our coverage.
