If you've been holding off on updating your Samsung phone, now is the time. That's because the Korean hardware giant has released a new security update that fixes four serious Android security flaws.

After this update is installed, the best Samsung phones now run the latest software, but Forbes points out one glaring omission: a patch against the pixel zero-day that hackers are already using in their attacks.

When Google released a fix against this zero-day for its phones last month, it appeared that the problem was limited to Pixel devices. However, that no longer seems to be the case, as many good Android phones, including Samsung's, are vulnerable to this flaw.

Here is everything you need to know about this new security update from Samsung and tips to keep your Android phone safe from hackers.

Samsung's July 2024 security patch fixes 25 Android vulnerabilities as well as 33 security flaws affecting its phones and tablets. Four of these 25 Android flaws have a critical security rating, and the rest are considered high risk.

If you own a Samsung phone, you should install this new security update as soon as possible. That said, an unpatched Pixel zero-day remains a concern.

This zero-day, tracked as CVE-2024-31320, is a privilege escalation (EoP) flaw that hackers could exploit in their attacks. In fact, Google revealed in its June Pixel Update Bulletin that it has already seen indications that this particular vulnerability "may be subject to limited and targeted exploitation."

Things went downhill from there, with the U.S. government warning all federal employees about the vulnerability and urging them to update their Pixel devices or stop using them altogether by July 4. Now, however, the problem appears to be much more widespread than originally thought.

In a statement to Forbes, a Google spokesperson confirmed that the zero-day is affecting the entire Android platform. The search giant is working with its OEM partners to roll out fixes for smartphones other than Pixel devices.

We don't know when a fix for this issue will be released, but given how seriously the U.S. government is taking this particular threat, you'll want to update your Samsung smartphone as soon as it is released. But in the meantime, there are a few steps you can take to keep your Android phone safe from hackers.

While it is most important to keep your smartphone updated and running the latest software, it is also important to regularly update all of your apps. Likewise, it is always a good idea to examine your smartphone and limit the number of apps you have installed. This is because if there are malicious apps on it, you may not even know it.

Then make sure Google Play Protect is enabled; Google Play Protect scans all new and existing apps you download to detect malware. But for added protection, you might also want to consider running one of the best Android antivirus apps along with it. In addition, many Android antivirus apps include useful extras like VPNs and password managers.

Hackers are always looking for new ways to access our smartphones and their sensitive data. Vulnerabilities and especially zero-day flaws make things even worse for hackers, so we want to install the latest security updates as soon as they are released and not later.