Developers have discovered eight high-risk bugs on Google’s platform that cybercriminals can exploit to steal data and money.
Google recently warned users of older versions of its Chrome browser that they are at high risk of being hacked due to security weak spots. The company has released an update but has refrained from publishing details about the bugs until users have updated their platform.
By the user accessing a compromised website, an attacker could potentially inject a payload that the browser would then execute, providing them with the ability to perform any actions for which the user has permission on their account. The exploitation of this critical vulnerability could result in the running of arbitrary code within the logged-in user’s context. An attacker could take advantage of this to install software, modify or delete data, or establish new user accounts with full privileges, depending on the user’s associated rights. Individuals who have reduced privileges on their accounts could be less affected than those who have administrative user rights.
Google has thanked security researchers who worked with the company to prevent security bugs from reaching the stable channel. Google also advised users to update their Chrome browser to its latest version. Once Google Chrome is up to date, users will not need to worry about the bugs.
To update your browser or check if your browser needs an update, open Google Chrome, select the three dots in the right hand corner, then select “About Google Chrome”. Chrome’s latest version for Windows is 111.0.5563.110/.111 and for Mac 111.0.5563.110.
There has been a significant increase in cyber-attacks targeting Australian data, resulting in a surge in security breaches. According to Surfshark, a data leak detection service, the personal information of Australians was stolen at a rate more than twenty times higher than the global average in December.
The situation is compounded by the fact that Chrome and its derivatives like Edge, are no longer supported on older versions of Windows (such as 7, 8, and Server 2012).
To mitigate the risks associated with browsing the modern internet, it is advised that users upgrade to either Windows 10 or Windows 11. Failing to do so could expose users to vulnerabilities. While older versions of Chrome will continue to work on unsupported operating systems, there will be no further updates released for these users. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that users make the move to a supported version of Windows to ensure they continue to receive the latest security updates and Chrome features.
RISK
Government
Large and medium government entities: HIGH
Small government: MEDIUM
Businesses
Large and medium business entities: HIGH
Small business entities: MEDIUM
Home Users
Home Users: LOW