Android Security Bulletin November 2025: 72-Hour Playbook

TL;DR for SMB–Midmarket Security, Risk & Compliance

• What’s new: Android Security Bulletin November 2025 ships a zero-click RCE in System (CVE-2025-48593) and a High EoP (CVE-2025-48581). Target fleet patch level: 2025-11-01.
• Why it matters: Zero-click means no user interaction; unmanaged BYOD and lagging corp devices are exposure multipliers.
• Your move: Follow the 72-Hour Playbook below to stage rollout, attest patch strings (ro.build.version.security_patch=2025-11-01), and capture board/audit evidence mapped to NIST CSF 2.0 (Govern/Respond/Recover).
• CTA: Book an Android Fleet Risk Assessment & Remediation Sprint (72-hour rollout plan + evidence templates). → Risk Assessment Services | Remediation Services | Free Scanner

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What’s in the Android Security Bulletin November 2025

• System (critical): CVE-2025-48593 – Remote Code Execution (zero-click RCE).
• System (high): CVE-2025-48581 – Elevation of Privilege.
• Patch level required: 2025-11-01 for coverage this month.
• Project Mainline: No Google Play system updates this cycle (lower “silent” coverage; your OEM/MDM rollout matters more).

Evidence string you’ll use: ro.build.version.security_patch=2025-11-01 (must appear on devices post-update).

Internal reads for deeper governance & reporting:

• Risk Assessment Services – map policy & technical controls.
• Remediation Services – close audit gaps fast.
• Latest insights on your blog for exec context:
  • NIST CSF 2.0: 14-Day Exclusive Plan for Board-Ready Metrics
  • 7 Proven Steps for CMMC Level 2 Remediation
  • EU Data Act Remediation: 60-Day Proven Fix Plan

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The 72-Hour Playbook (BYOD + Corporate Fleets)

Hour 0–6: Threat Brief & Scope

1. Scope inventory: Export Android devices from your MDM (Intune/Workspace ONE/MobileIron/Samsung Knox).
2. Classify risk: Prioritize admins, finance, engineering, and any device with prod access.
3. Executive brief: One page with: CVE IDs, zero-click risk, patch level 2025-11-01, and plan milestones.

Hour 6–24: Staged Rollout

1. Ring 0 (pilot): 5–10% devices across models/OEMs.
2. Controls: Disable sideloading where possible; enforce full-disk encryption; require WPA2-Enterprise or stronger on corp Wi-Fi.
3. Blockers: If an OEM build lags, isolate via conditional access (no prod apps until compliant).

Hour 24–48: Attest & Enforce

1. Attest patch string: Verify ro.build.version.security_patch on devices (scripts below).
2. Policy gates: Mark non-compliant as quarantined; restrict email/SSO until patched.
3. Evidence capture: Save raw command outputs + device IDs into a signed report.

Hour 48–72: Evidence & Posture

1. Finalize evidence pack (screenshots, CSVs, policy IDs, change ticket numbers).
2. Board & audit mapping to NIST CSF 2.0:
   • GV (Govern): policy, risk acceptance, roles, comms to users.
   • RS (Respond): rollout steps, quarantine metrics, exceptions.
   • RC (Recover): validation, retest window, backlog items.
3. Retest critical cohorts, confirm no drift, and close the incident record.

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Real-Time Code & Commands (copy/paste)

1) ADB: Verify Patch Level on Connected Devices (macOS/Linux/Windows)

# List devices
adb devices

# For each device, print model + Android + patch level (YYYY-MM-DD)
for serial in $(adb devices | awk 'NR>1 && $2=="device"{print $1}'); do
  model=$(adb -s "$serial" shell getprop ro.product.model | tr -d '\r')
  release=$(adb -s "$serial" shell getprop ro.build.version.release | tr -d '\r')
  patch=$(adb -s "$serial" shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch | tr -d '\r')
  printf "%s,%s,%s,%s\n" "$serial" "$model" "$release" "$patch"
done

Compliance check (expect 2025-11-01):

target="2025-11-01"
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch | grep -q "$target" \
  && echo "✅ Patched to $target" || echo "❌ Not patched to $target"

2) Kotlin (on-device app or test harness)

import android.os.Build

fun isCompliant(target: String = "2025-11-01"): Boolean {
    val patch = Build.VERSION.SECURITY_PATCH ?: return false
    // Works lexicographically because format is YYYY-MM-DD
    return patch >= target
}

3) PowerShell + Microsoft Graph (Intune): Report Android Patch Levels

Assumes Graph permissions for DeviceManagementManagedDevices.Read.All. The managedDevice resource exposes AndroidSecurityPatchLevel.

Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "DeviceManagementManagedDevices.Read.All"

$devices = Get-MgDeviceManagementManagedDevice -All `
 | Where-Object { $_.OperatingSystem -eq "Android" }

$target = "2025-11-01"

$report = $devices | Select-Object DeviceName, UserDisplayName, SerialNumber,
    OperatingSystem, OsVersion,
    @{n="AndroidSecurityPatchLevel"; e={$_.AndroidSecurityPatchLevel}},
    @{n="Compliant"; e={ $_.AndroidSecurityPatchLevel -ge $target }}

$report | Export-Csv -NoTypeInformation android_nov2025_patch_report.csv

4) Python: Validate an Export CSV from Any MDM

import csv, sys, datetime
TARGET = "2025-11-01"
bad = []
with open("android_devices.csv", newline="") as f:
    for row in csv.DictReader(f):
        if row.get("security_patch_level","") < TARGET:
            bad.append((row.get("device_id"), row.get("user"), row.get("security_patch_level")))
print(f"Non-compliant devices (< {TARGET}): {len(bad)}")
for d in bad: print(",".join([str(x) for x in d]))

5) GitHub Actions: Nightly Evidence Run

name: Android Patch Evidence
on:
  schedule: [{ cron: "0 2 * * *" }]
jobs:
  attest:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
      - run: pip install pandas
      - run: python tools/validate_android_patch.py  # uses TARGET=2025-11-01
      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: android_nov2025_patch_evidence
          path: reports/android_*.csv

6) SQL (warehouse): Keep an Evidence Ledger

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS evidence.android_patch_attestation (
  device_id STRING, user STRING, oem STRING, model STRING,
  os_release STRING, patch_level DATE, collected_at TIMESTAMP
);

-- Ingest your CSV into a staging table, then:
INSERT INTO evidence.android_patch_attestation
SELECT device_id, user, oem, model, os_release, DATE(patch_level), CURRENT_TIMESTAMP()
FROM staging.android_devices_csv
WHERE patch_level >= '2025-11-01';

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Evidence Templates (Mapped to NIST CSF 2.0)

• Govern (GV):
  • Policy excerpt “Android Security Patch Management” (owner, scope, thresholds).
  • Risk acceptance for exception devices (business owner + end date).
• Respond (RS):
  • Change record #, rollout rings, quarantined devices list, user comms.
• Recover (RC):
  • Post-update validation CSVs, retest screenshots, backlog hardening (disable unknown sources, enforce ScreenLock, require Play Protect).

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BYOD Tips (High-Yield)

• Enforce company portal + work profile, keep corp data in the managed profile only.
• Block access to mail/SSO for devices reporting patch < 2025-11-01.
• Provide a self-service mini-guide: Settings → Security → Security update, then verify Security patch level shows Nov 1, 2025.

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