Google Chrome users are being urged to update their browsers immediately due to the discovery of several critical security vulnerabilities. The latest update, Chrome 125, contains patches for nine security flaws, including one particularly concerning vulnerability tracked as CVE-2024-4947.
CVE-2024-4947, labelled as a “Type Confusion in V8,” poses a significant risk as it allows malicious actors to potentially execute their own code on affected devices. This type of flaw occurs when a piece of code fails to verify the object it’s being passed to, resulting in the attachment of incorrect functions to code, which can be exploited by attackers.
What makes CVE-2024-4947 especially alarming is that it is a zero-day vulnerability, indicating that there is an active exploit in the wild. When a flaw is classified as zero-day, it means that not only is the vulnerability known, but it is actively being exploited by hackers. While Google may not disclose extensive details about such vulnerabilities, their identification should serve as a clear signal for users to update their software immediately.
This isn’t the first time Chrome has been affected by zero-day vulnerabilities this month. On May 9, an update was released to address CVE-2024-4671, a use-after-free vulnerability, followed by another update on May 13 to patch CVE-2024-4761, an out-of-bounds write vulnerability. All three vulnerabilities have been added to the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
Federal agencies have been given until June 10 to update their Chrome browsers, although experts advise taking action without delay. Users are encouraged to update their browsers immediately to mitigate the risk of exploitation by malicious actors.
To update Google Chrome, users can click the “Update” button if prompted. Alternatively, they can access the update option by clicking the three dots in the top right corner of the window, then navigating to Help > About Google Chrome. Once the update is available, users should follow the on-screen instructions to download and install it promptly.
In conclusion, the discovery of multiple zero-day vulnerabilities affecting Google Chrome underscores the importance of regular software updates in maintaining the security of devices and protecting against potential cyber threats. Users are advised to remain vigilant and promptly apply updates to mitigate the risk of exploitation by malicious actors.
