Security News > 2022 > May > Android monthly updates are out – critical bugs found in critical places!
Ideally, Google wouldn't split the monthly updates apart in this fashion, but would provide a single, unified set of patches and expect all vendors of Android devices to get up-to-date as soon as possible.
As the company admits in its bulletins, there are "Two security patch levels so that Android partners have the flexibility to fix a subset of vulnerabilities that are similar across all Android devices more quickly."
Owners who not only have Google Android but also use Google hardware already have Pixel-specific updates available, including patches for 11 addditional CVE-numbered bugs, two of which are deemed Critical.
A bootloader bug, a data leakage hole in a dedicated security chip, a flaw that could allow the most innocent-looking app to go rogue, and a critical vulnerability in an undisclosed component used in an unknown range of Android devices means.
On most Google devices, including many if not most non-Google Android variants, you can check for updates and fetch them on demand by going to System > System update > Check for updates.
To find the exact details of your current Android kernel, version number and security patch level, go to System > About phone > Android version.