A researcher says one hidden text can crash calling on Android phones, and Google has not called it a security issue, so a fix is not promised.
A security researcher has published details of a flaw that lets someone knock out calling on certain Android phones with a single text message. The message never shows up in the inbox, and the owner does not have to tap anything. Google reviewed the report three times and ruled it a non-security issue, so no fix is promised.
The researcher says a specially built message, a type of text used to deliver settings and links, makes the phone's calling service crash. The phone treats the message as data, so the victim never sees it or the sender's number. The attacker only needs the victim's phone number.
One message causes a repeated short outage. The researcher says about 30 messages in a quick burst can do worse, by damaging the database where the phone stores its messages. After that, the calling service crashes on every restart, so turning the phone off and on does not help.
The researcher also says a factory reset only helps for a while, because the carrier can send the unconfirmed message again and set off the crash. On a phone that uses an eSIM, a digital SIM that cannot be moved to another handset, recovery would be much harder, the report says.
The researcher tested a Pixel 9 on April 2026 software, plus several Samsung Galaxy and A-series phones. The report says the crash happened every time. Other Android models were not described, so it is not known how widely the problem reaches. These are the researcher's claims, and the material does not show anyone using the flaw against real people.
A phone that cannot make calls is a problem for anyone, and the report stresses emergency calls. It says a phone under attack, or damaged by the database problem, cannot reliably place them. The researcher also points to Australian rules that require carriers to cut off phones that cannot reach emergency services, which could leave a victim's handset blocked.
The researcher published a working test app and its code, saying it is for research. That means the method is now public. The researcher also says Google held the report well past its 90-day window and still declined to fix it.
The alert box above lists the steps. They are simple: keep your phone updated, back up your data, and keep another way to call for help.
Google has not said it will change its decision. The researcher supplied a short code fix, so the repair looks small, but only Google and phone makers can ship it. Watch for security updates from Google or Samsung, and for any word from your carrier. Whether other phones are hit, and whether this is ever used in the wild, is not known yet.
Back up your phone and keep a landline or second phone handy, because no fix is promised for this Android calling flaw.
A Georgia sheriff says scammers are calling families and demanding cash to free a jailed relative. Real jails do not work that way, and the call is built to rush you.
Read more: Sheriff warns of phone scam demanding money to free jailed relativesIowa's senior Medicare fraud program says scammers are using fake plan offers, texts and calls during sign-up season, and a stolen Medicare number can block your care.
Read more: Medicare scammers are targeting older adults during sign-up seasonScammers are emailing Humboldt County well permit applicants and demanding $5,960 before a permit is issued. The county says the fee is fake.
Read more: Fake County Emails Demand $5,960 Fee for Well Permits
