Google is urging owners of certain Android phones to take urgent action to protect themselves from critical vulnerabilities that give skilled hackers the ability to surreptitiously compromise their devices by making a specially crafted call to their number.  It’s not clear if all actions urged are even possible, however, and even if they are, the measures will neuter devices of most voice-calling capabilities.

The vulnerability affects Android devices that use the Exynos chipset made by Samsung’s semiconductor division. Vulnerable devices include the Pixel 6 and 7, international versions of the Samsung Galaxy S22, various mid-range Samsung phones, the Galaxy Watch 4 and 5, and cars with the Exynos Auto T5123 chip. These devices are ONLY vulnerable if they run the Exynos chipset, which includes the baseband that processes signals for voice calls. The US version of the Galaxy S22 runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip.