“I stared at my phone in utter disbelief. The screen taunted me with a daunting message that read ‘Incorrect PIN.’ I was sure about my PIN. I committed it to memory and never changed it. In a desperate attempt, I even resorted to: I used the fingerprint sensor, but to no avail.” says Ankita, a regular user of Samsung Galaxy phones, who was locked out of her phone this morning.
“The question remained: How could someone change the PIN on my phone without my knowledge? My phone has a lot of personal information like messages and photos. It was stored and it was important to prevent unauthorized access.As a sense of crisis spread, I checked online and on social media,” Ankita said.
“As I was scouring online forums for advice, a shiver ran down my spine. Reports of similar incidents began to surface, hinting at a growing cyber threat. It appeared to be manipulating the user’s device and taking away access from the user.
government issues warning
Meanwhile, India’s CERT-In unit, which is responsible for addressing cybersecurity issues, has issued a high-risk alert to Samsung Galaxy mobile phone users informing them about potential security threats to their data. This advisory emphasizes the urgency of updating operating systems (OS) and firmware to minimize these risks.
Several vulnerabilities have been identified in Samsung Mobile Android versions 11, 12, 13, and 14. One notable vulnerability could allow an attacker to exploit the system, leading to information theft, code execution, and device compromise.
CERT-In clearly states that if users do not update their devices, the threat of hacking may increase. Samsung has released patches to address these vulnerabilities, but it’s important for Ankita and other users who have encountered the issue to prioritize updates to protect their devices from potential data breaches.
For those who aren’t familiar, a cyberattack is an attempt to steal, publish, alter, disable, or destroy information through unauthorized access to a computer system, mobile phone, laptop, or tab. refers to an attempt to