Most OnePlus phones are at a serious risk from a bad SMS vulnerability

OnePlus might be riding the wave of excitement for its upcoming OnePlus 15 release, but its older devices appear to be victims of a serious security flaw. A cybersecurity firm has discovered a vulnerability that exposes SMS and MMS data from some OnePlus smartphones.

OnePlus phones are at risk from a security vulnerability, but a patch is on the way

If your OnePlus device is running OxygenOS 12 or later, you’re likely at risk from a newly discovered security flaw. The breach leaves SMS and MMS data exposed, but OnePlus has finally acknowledged it and said it’ll release a patch in mid-October.The vulnerability was discovered by the security company Rapid7 on devices running OxygenOS 12, 14, and 15. The vulnerability exists because of modifications to the Telephony service on Android done by OnePlus. Thanks to those changes, installed apps can access SMS and MMS data, along with metadata, “without permission, user interaction, or consent.”

Rapid7 claims it had tried to inform OnePlus about the vulnerability, dubbed CVE-2025-10184, months before publishing it on Monday, but the company never responded. OnePlus confirmed it was aware of the issue in a statement to 9to5Google.

How to keep yourself safe?

If you have a OnePlus 8 with OxygenOS 11, you are safe from the vulnerability | Image Credit – PhoneArena

If you have a OnePlus device that could be vulnerable to the flaw, Rapid7 recommends only installing apps from trusted sources and uninstalling any app you don’t need. The security firm also says you should move your texting to encrypted messaging apps and switch from SMS two-factor authentication to an authenticator app. 

In fact, implementing those tips could be a good idea even if you’re not a OnePlus user. Security flaws are discovered all the time, across operating systems and with all sorts of devices. Recently, a WhatsApp flaw put iPhone 16 and older in danger, and a similar vulnerability was discovered on Galaxy S25 and other Samsung phones. 

Common sense is good for security

Keeping yourself safe often sounds like too much work, but some simple steps can help you drastically improve your security. Update your devices and apps often, so you get the latest security patches. Don’t install apps from unofficial sources unless you know what you’re doing. Stay away from shady websites. These simple steps should keep you out of trouble most of the time.

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