Google Chrome's latest update fixes over 350 security flaws
What's the story
Google has released a major security update for its Chrome browser, fixing as many as 353 security vulnerabilities. The update, which was launched earlier this week comes as part of Chrome version 156. Google said the update will be rolled out to all users in the coming days and weeks.
Security threats
Six critical bugs fixed in this update
Of the 353 bugs, six have been classified as critical, the highest threat level.
Five of these critical issues are related to memory corruption in different parts of the browser such as the Skia graphics engine, CSS styling, the Paint component, WebRTC, and Accessibility features.
The sixth critical bug is a use-after-free flaw in the Accessibility section.
These types of bugs occur when software mishandles its memory, potentially allowing malicious actors to execute harmful code or crash your browser.
Exploit status
Details of these bugs are being withheld
Google's security advisory does not indicate that any of these six critical bugs are being actively exploited by hackers in real-world attacks.
The company is also keeping the exact details of the bugs under wraps until most users have updated their browsers.
This way, they can prevent potential attacks that could be launched if the details were made public before a majority of users had patched their systems.
AI involvement
Some vulnerabilities were identified with AI assistance
Interestingly, some of the security flaws were discovered with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).
A researcher at Anthropic used their Claude AI to find the critical use-after-free bug in Accessibility. Similarly, OpenAI Codex Security's kylebot found the critical WebRTC vulnerability.
However, it's important to note that these discoveries weren't fully automated by AI alone but rather a collaboration between human researchers and advanced tech tools.
Update process
How to update Chrome on your computer?
Updating your Chrome browser is a simple process that takes just a few minutes.
First, open Google Chrome on your computer. Then, click on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of your screen.
From there, select Help and then About Google Chrome.
This will open a new page where Chrome will automatically look for any available updates and download the latest version.