Google Integrates Rust in Pixel 10 Modem Firmware

Google has integrated the Rust programming language into the modem firmware of its Pixel 10 smartphones, marking the first time a memory-safe language has been embedded in the device's cellular baseband to combat vulnerabilities that could allow remote attacks.

The update, detailed by Google in late April 2026, focuses on rewriting the Domain Name System (DNS) parser in Rust. This component handles critical network functions, including call forwarding, by processing untrusted data from cell towers. Traditionally written in memory-unsafe languages like C and C++, the modem's code—spanning tens of megabytes—has long exposed devices to risks such as buffer overflows and out-of-bounds memory accesses. These flaws could enable hackers to execute code remotely without user interaction, potentially compromising the entire phone.

"Pixel modem has tens of Megabytes of executable code. Given the complexity and remote attack surface of the modem, other critical memory safety vulnerabilities may remain in the predominantly memory-unsafe firmware code," Jiacheng Lu, a software engineer on the Google Pixel Team, wrote. The new Rust-based DNS parser "significantly reduces our security risk by...