Google released a security update for its Chrome browser on Tuesday, Feb. 13, to address a zero-day vulnerability that could allow an attacker to take control of a victim’s computer. The vulnerability was discovered by Google researchers and is related to the way Chrome handles webpages with malicious embedded content. If exploited, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability to inject malicious code into a web page that would then be executed when the victim visits it. “This vulnerability is serious because it allows an attacker to inject arbitrary code into websites visited by users,” said Google security researcher Tavis Ormandy in a blog post. “An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain complete control of the affected computer.” Google has not yet released details about how users can protect themselves from this vulnerability, but recommends that they update their Chrome browser as soon as possible. ..
Browsers are critical tools in many people’s lives, but they come with security risks. Occasionally, vulnerabilities are exploited, and companies rush to send out fixes. That’s exactly what happened with Chrome 91, and a patch is available now.
Chrome 91 was released just a couple of weeks ago and there were a number of security flaws that got exploited. Google hasn’t disclosed the exact exploits yet, as they want to wait for more people to install the patch released on June 10, 2021, but the company did say that a zero-day exploit is currently being used.
RELATED: Why Are There So Many Zero-Day Security Holes?
The vulnerabilities in Chrome 91 are present in the desktop and Android versions of the browsers. Chrome 91.0.4472.101 is rolling out right now on both platforms with the necessary fixes and you should install it as soon as possible.
On the desktop, Chrome will fetch updates automatically and tell you when a restart is required. However, Chrome may not check for updates until later in the day, so it’s a good idea to update right now.
To manually check for updates, click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of the Chrome window and go to Help > About Google Chrome.
The Android version requires a little more effort to update. You’ll have to open the Google Play Store, tap your profile icon, and go to the “My Apps & Games” section. From there you will see an update for Chrome to install.
Alternatively, you can manually install the APK for the updated version of Chrome for Android. You can download it from here and follow these instructions. Go forth and update for protection!
