Google has urged the users of popular web browsers to update immediately or be left vulnerable to potential hackers after it discovered a major security hole.
Anyone using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge are at risk, and should update their browsers immediately to protect themselves from a potential breach. It affects anyone using Windows, Mac, or Linux computers equally, and requires 11 security fixes, one of which is "critical" and nine of which have been given a "high" threat level.
The discovered hole in their security is reportedly known as a "zero-day" exploit, which means that it was known to hackers before Google discovered it. The company said little on the nature of the bug, as this may unwantedly provide critical information to hackers, but they did say that it was similar to a zero-day bug used by North Korea earlier this year, when it attacked the browsers of high profile US companies.
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Google 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 US-based organisations spanning news media, IT, cryptocurrency, and fintech industries.” It added: “However, other organisations 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.”
To update your Google Chrome, click on the three dots in the top-right corner of your web browser. This opens ‘More’, next you should:
– Click Help, then ‘About Google Chrome’
– Hit ‘Update Google Chrome’ (if this button isn’t visible, it means you’re already fully updated)
– Tap or click relaunch
Your current browsing session and tabs will be saved so that when you relaunch they will open too. So don't fret about losing your progress
Security updates like this are not always the first thing on your mind. But they're important as they can help protect you from hackers, scammers and other cyber criminals who may look to target your device if it is vulnerable.
