High-Risk Warning from Indian Government: Urgent Browser Update Required for Google Chrome Users
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued a high-severity warning to Google Chrome users due to the discovery of numerous vulnerabilities within the browser that could be exploited by malicious hackers.
CERT-In’s warning, categorized as “high severity,” pertains to the identification of multiple vulnerabilities in Google’s popular browser. These vulnerabilities have the potential to be exploited by remote attackers, allowing them to execute arbitrary code, trigger denial of service (DoS) conditions, and access sensitive information on the compromised system, as stated in the official notice.
The Risk
Google Chrome, widely used by millions, can, like any complex software, contain vulnerabilities or weaknesses in its code that malicious actors might attempt to exploit for their own gain. In this highlighted scenario, the vulnerabilities in Google Chrome arise from various issues, including:
- Use after free” vulnerabilities in the Vulkan and Loader components: These vulnerabilities involve the continued use of memory that has already been freed, leading to potential security risks.
- Out of bounds memory access” vulnerabilities in the CSS, V8 (a JavaScript engine), and Fonts components: Attackers could access memory beyond their authorized boundaries, resulting in potential security breaches.
To elaborate, these vulnerabilities, if successfully exploited, could enable remote attackers to take advantage of Chrome’s code weaknesses by sending specially crafted requests. This could allow them to assume control of the victim’s computer, pilfer data, or introduce malware.
Affected Software:
According to CERT-In, these vulnerabilities affect:
- Google Chrome versions preceding 116.0.5845.110/.111 for Windows
- Google Chrome versions preceding 116.0.5845.110 for Mac and Linux
How to Stay Safe:
To mitigate these risks, CERT-In advises Google Chrome users to promptly update their web browsers and other software with the latest security patches. In this instance, Google, the developer of the browser, has already released updates to address known vulnerabilities and bolster security.
Google’s latest note on the stable channel update for desktop states, “The Stable and Extended stable channels have been updated to 116.0.5845.110 for Mac and Linux and 116.0.5845.110/.111 for Windows, which will roll out over the coming days/weeks.”
In addition to keeping software up to date, users should exercise caution when visiting websites, particularly those that appear suspicious or untrustworthy, to minimize the risk of encountering malicious code.
