Google has just urgently released a new version of its Chrome web browser in order to close several critical security flaws. An update to install without delay, like every time!
It’s a bad week for Chrome! In just a few days, Google had to urgently release several updates to its web browser. An impressive pace, which must have disturbed many users, especially since this is the seventh alert of this kind since the start of 2024. And everything suggests that it will not be the last of the year…
In fact, even if it is the subject of constant developments and improvements, the famous Web browser of the American giant does not escape the problems of all software, and in particular the famous flaws, these “small defects” which escape the vigilance of developers, and which are discovered after the fact, by more attentive experts. And some of these vulnerabilities are more serious than others, requiring a rapid response given the dangers they pose to users.
This is again the case this time, with several important vulnerabilities, including two qualified as critical (zero day type) which would already be exploited by hackers. This is why Google has been releasing a new security update for version 125 of Chrome for computers since May 15, with several variations: 125.0.6422.60/.61 for Windows and macOS and 125.0.6422.60 for Linux.
Chrome 125 update: two important fixes
In the bulletin published on his blog, Google indicates that it has integrated no less than nine fixes in these versions. The more significant flaws are referenced under the gentle nomenclatures CVE-2024-4947 and CVE-2024-4671. The first concerns a vulnerability in Chrome’s JavaScript engine, a technology widely used on the Web, while the second is in the software component managing the display of content in the browser, both of which can be used to execute arbitrary code on targeted computers
As always, Google does not give any technical details on the identified breach, so as not to give ideas to hackers tempted to exploit it before as many users as possible have installed the corrective update. “Access to bug details and links may be restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix. We will also keep restrictions if the bug exists in a third-party library that also depends on other projects, but which has not yet been corrected.”specifies the publisher in its alert bulletin.
The exact nature of the bugs and flaws does not matter, the main thing is to detect them and correct them quickly. As always, Google advises you to install the new version now, which will in any case be deployed automatically in the days and weeks to come. Advice that is best followed without delay! And although downloading and installing updates in Chrome happens automatically, it is recommended to force them immediately (see below) to avoid any risks. Because, as we have noticed, the corrected version is not yet offered automatically.
Manually updating Chrome on computer is very simple.
► Open Chrome, click the three small vertical points, in the banner at the top right. In the menu that appears, hover over Helpat the bottom, to deploy a submenu, then click About Chrome.
► A new tab opens in the active window. Chrome will then automatically check for an update. If it finds a new version, it clearly indicates it in a message and downloads it immediately. Click on the button Relaunch to close the browser, apply the update, and restart Chrome.
► After the update, check that the installed version number corresponds to one of those indicated earlier in this article. Above all, do not hesitate to come and regularly check the availability of updates which are not always reported automatically.
Finally, note that Chrome automatically checks for updates each time it is opened. If you close the software frequently, the browser will update itself, which will save you these manual checks. But if you leave it open for a long time, for example just putting your computer to sleep, consider this control.