Android Moves to Rust; Cuts Memory Vulnerabilities by 68%
Google’s transition to memory-safe languages like Rust has significantly reduced memory safety vulnerabilities in Android, dropping from 76% to 24% over six years. By prioritizing Safe Coding since 2019, memory safety flaws declined from 223 in 2019 to under 50 in 2024.
The shift reduces security risks, makes development scalable, and capitalizes on the natural decay of vulnerabilities in older code. Instead of full code rewrites, Google is promoting interoperability between Rust, C++, and Kotlin as a practical approach.
Additionally, Google’s collaboration with Arm has enhanced GPU security, leading to the discovery of multiple vulnerabilities. The company emphasizes proactive security strategies, moving from reactive patching to high-assurance prevention, integrating security at the foundation of development.