Keeping your devices up to date

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PATCH WATCH By Susan Bradley Are you monitoring your devices? Just the other day, I tried to update an app on my dad’s iPad. That didn’t work, instead
[See the full post at: Keeping your devices up to date]

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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lmacri, fisher75, NetDef, DLivesInTexas, SKR

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I have no need to be connected 24/7 so I have ALL mobile device settings for automatic updates turned OFF. ALL apps I don’t use are disabled/deleted as the device/OS will allow. I check for updates occasionally when I connect a mobile device to the internet. Update ONLY what I use. Same low-end Samsung J3 since 2016 with no issues. Will keep until my apps no longer support or work correctly on Android 6.  My (cheapest, 2018) Samsung 8″ tablet, 3 Win10 & 1 Win11 PC’s get regular manual update search and restarts. So far so good! Thank you so much to all the folks and the amazing advice I find on this site. Most of it explained in easy enough steps, or directed to a site, for a “regular Joe” (@68) to implement, thanks again you all!

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Hi, Susan. Thank you for your post. The last paragraph stuck out to me: “Don’t ignore the patch level of devices. They, too, are entry points and bring risks to both business and personal networks. Keep them backed up and up to date.”

I have a laptop running Windows 11 Pro, version 22H2, and an Android phone, but not a Pixel. I have Bitdefender Total Security protecting both, but like everybody, I am perpetually concerned that in spite of the protection I have in place, somehow, some way, something bad is going to “get through the fence,” so to speak.

Here are my questions:

• Do you know of a program that will monitor and log every incoming and outgoing network connection, and notify the user of any connection or event it deems suspicious? With the increasing sophistication of fake e-mails, my biggest concern is that I am going to switch off mentally for a moment, click a link in what appears by all accounts to be a legitimate e-mail, and then BAM, by clicking the link, I will either have sent a packet with whatever sensitive information the bad actor was hoping to get, or allowed access to my machine for some nefarious purpose. I feel that, if I had a program in place like the one hypothesized above, I could at least receive a notification that a security event or breach had occurred as a result, and thanks to that awareness, could immediately attempt to deploy some sort of countermeasure, whatever that might be. In such a circumstance, a real-time notification would be invaluable.

• Regarding the patching of non-Pixel Android phones, is it simply a matter of installing the latest Android updates whenever Google releases them? The reason I ask is, I never really think of patching or updating my phone; I just wait until my phone notifies me that there is an update available, at which point I install the update.

• While I do have backup software that runs continuously in the background on my laptop, I never really think of backing up my phone, either. Is there backup app for Android phones that you would recommend?

Thank you for your time, and for publishing the excellent AskWoody newsletter!

Moderator Note: Good one. Thanks.

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The programs that I’m aware of that can do that are more designed for businesses, not consumers.  End point protection and remediation is what they are called.

As to phones, sometimes – as in the case with my Dad’s ipad – you need to compare the build number with what is expected to ensure that it’s getting the updates.

See if this will do the trick for you:

https://support.google.com/android/answer/2819582?hl=en#:~:text=1%20Open%20your%20phone%27s%20Settings%20app.%202%20Tap,more%20info%2C%20contact%20your%20device%20manufacturer.%20See%20More

 

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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SKR

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What about backing up to your PC rather than to a Google server with restrictive conditions?

I currently have a Pixel phone, but when I previously had Samsung phones, I could back up to my PC using the Samsung app KIES (later SmartSwitch).  As I recall, SmartSwitch allowed you to back up any Android phone, mainly for the purpose of transferring your data to a new SAMSUNG phone.  Not sure if you could restore a backup to a non-Samsung phone.  I will have to investigate this further.

 

 

Dell Precision 3630 w/32 GB RAM, 500 GB (C:), 1 TB (D:)
Window 10 Pro x64
Internet: FTTC (Fibre to the Kerb)

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SKR

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Many thanks to @SB, @LH and @Alex5723 for your replies!

@SB, I made a note to follow the backup instructions in the link you sent after I have paid for Google One’s additional storage, because my standard 15GB are nearly full.

@LH, thanks for the heads up regarding SmartSwitch as a potential alternative. Ironically I am getting ready to purchase a new phone so if I go the Samsung route the SmartSwitch app could be a great way to go for the reason you mention.

@Alex5723, That is what I thought, thanks for confirming.

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SKR wrote:

Regarding the patching of non-Pixel Android phones, is it simply a matter of installing the latest Android updates whenever Google releases them?

It is the matter of your smartphone manufacturer updates whenever they release them. Usually they don’t after a year (unless you have an Apple or Samsung device).
Google doesn’t update Android OS on devices apart from Pixel devices.

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SKR

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Alex5723 wrote:
Google doesn’t update Android OS on devices apart from Pixel devices.

Alex,

While true that phone manufacturers in general don’t want to “waste” resources updating (and thereby delay the premature obsolescence of) Android devices previously sold/currently in use, perhaps your last statement isn’t completely accurate these days?

How Project Mainline is solving Android’s fragmentation problem

SKR wrote:
is it simply a matter of installing the latest Android updates whenever Google releases them?

Yeah, pretty much… along with any updates your device manufacturer actually manages to provide.

Hope this helps.

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anonymous wrote:

SKR wrote:
is it simply a matter of installing the latest Android updates whenever Google releases them?

No, its not. It maybe a wish that doesn’t work in the real world.
My brother is using a 2 years old Android smartphone. 0 updates from Google (apart for play store apps) and 0 updates from the Chinese OEM after 1 year.

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Alex5723 wrote:
0 updates from Google (apart for play store apps)

Yes, friend, that’s precisely how many updates are now handled, as discussed in the linked article…

Android 10 brought the promise of “Project Mainline”. Although it was initially conceived for out-of-band security updates, it’s also enabling new feature and API backports. The big idea behind Project Mainline is to modularize system components, so that – while still part of AOSP – they can be updated in a manner not unlike a standard APK update on Google Play.

Android 10 launched with thirteen Project Mainline modules. That number has more than doubled as of Android 13, or tripled if you consider undocumented modules.

Google requires Android Partners to preload most modules listed in table 1 below on Android 13 handheld devices, with the exception of the Bluetooth, UWB, and Wi-Fi modules.

Google provides its Android Partners a precompiled, presigned APK or APEX file for each module they require to be integrated. This is so Google can push updates to these modules through Google Play.

Hope this helps too.

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