Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge users now need to update their browsers in order to protect themselves from hackers.
The critical security update has been issued in response to a dangerous 'zero day' hack.
Google earlier discovered the major security hole that has since been named 'zero day'.
The exploit means that hackers were able to access users' browsers before Google discovered the issue, reports The Daily Star.
The update impacts anyone using Windows, Mac or Linux computers and required 11 security fixes - nine of which have been assigned 'high' threat level with another labelled 'critical' .
Google explained that a similar security breach was used by North Korea in a bid to hack browsers of US tech, finance, and new companies earlier this year.
Google was light on details, as sharing information about how the bug works could make it more dangerous in the hands of hackers. The company said: “Access to bug details and links may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix."
However, it said the previous zero-day exploit was used in "campaigns targeting U.S. based organisations spanning news media, IT, cryptocurrency, and fintech industries."
It added: “However, other organizations and countries may have been targeted. One of the campaigns has direct infrastructure overlap with a campaign targeting security researchers... The exploit was patched on 14 February, 2022. The earliest evidence we have of this exploit kit being actively deployed is 4 January 2022.”
How to update Google Chrome to the latest version
To update your version of Google Chrome, click the three dots in the top-right corner of your web browser. This opens 'More', then:
- Click Help, then 'About Google Chrome'
- Hit 'Update Google Chrome' (if this button isn't visible, it means you're on the latest version)
- Tap or click relaunch
Your current browser session and tabs will be saved until you relaunch, so don't worry about losing all your progress.
Security updates are regularly released for desktop browsers. It might not seem important, but ensuring that you're always using the latest version of a browser will help protect you from hackers, scammers and other cyber criminals.
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