Google is warning Chrome users to update their browsers immediately due to a high-severity security issue.
The Chrome team had to make an announcement due to the recent appearance of a 'zero-day' security vulnerability.

A security vulnerability is essentially a bug that can exploit computer software and reduce computer security.
Tech experts might refer to these vulnerabilities as a 'zero-day' if cyber-criminals have worked out how to exploit the software glitch before they were able to find it and fix it themselves.
Zero-day refers to the fact that the software company had zero days to prepare to tackle the problem because they didn't know it could happen.
Google has said that the current zero-day Chrome issue, referred to as Chrome CVE-2019-5786, is being actively exploited.

Chrome users don't need to panic though as they can simply update their browser to protect themselves.
Detailed information about what will happen if users don't update their software has not yet been revealed.
Google said: "Access to bug details and links may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix. We will also retain restrictions if the bug exists in a third party library that other projects similarly depend on, but haven’t yet fixed."
However, some tech experts are theorising that the security vulnerability could allow hackers to implant malware without any warnings or popups, read files and potentially even take over computers remotely.
Chrome security researcher Justin Schuh wrote on Twitter: "Also, seriously, update your Chrome installs... like right this minute."

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/8580808/update-your-google-chrome-now-tech-giant-warns-over-dangerous-bug-that-lets-hackers-hijack-your-computer/

""FYI - If you want to check for an update manually because Chrome isn't automatically notifying you of this update, open the Menu, navigate to Help, click About Google Chrome. It will confirm whether a newer version is available."
https://www.steamgifts.com/go/comment/BQmu2qZ

5 years ago*

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thanks a lot for this thread, these months I'm browsing way more websites such as steamgifts rather than news sites and such =P I used to make use of lots of different browsers but these years I'm relying only on Chrome and Firefox (firefox 'cos for some reason it hosts lots of exclusive addons for what concerns videos, gaming, unity web player and many others..) so I'll check out what to do with my main browser!!

5 years ago
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Yeah It's seems alot less depressing to just avoid news site these days (each day it's just another thing getting more expensive and money going to things it shouldn't). :x

I am using Edge as my main one and there keep tabs open from sites i regurarly check, and got Firefox and Chrome attached with different tabs i open only when needed, Sometimes also some site just works better with a certain browser then others.

5 years ago
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and luckily (I hope) you don't know much about the ongoing political crisis in Italy with our government (made up by parties that have been attacking one another for years and now trying to make things together) triggering a new issue every week.. now we just discovered that our gdp growth will be negative in the whole 2019, and we are basically polluting everything from the alps to sicily so.. it's better to draw useful news from other websites =P

same, apart from Edge.. I found out that it's better to have more than one browser and while Chrome looks faster to me, I browse many websites and such with Firefox =)

5 years ago
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I haven't heard anything about Italy for a long time (think we focus mostly on UK, USA and our own).
Here 400 euro increase on energy alone (our goverment miscalculated but won't change anything), standard increase of health care costs (Healthcare isn't getting expensive it's the administration layers, the amount of advertising etc etc that makes it expensive) and now someone wants to bring in 50.000 polish immigrants and provide them with good housing while many youngsters are on a waiting list and can't get a house.

I agree with that nature should be preserved but you see it now with us, people will eventually pay for it big time, that's the flipside.
They also wanted to give everyone a fee if our car wouldn't be electric by the year 2030 something, but that supposedly is in violation with EU rules.

But ehr offtopic. :p

5 years ago*
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well, that's definitely a good thing.. here everything gets worse week after week =P
that sucks. we have lots of problems with immigration too, among everything else.. while we're struggling in order to find a small apartment for a close family member that in September will start university in northern italy, it seems impossible to find even a small apartment..
and, electric cars? well, my friend is vegan, ecologist and so on.. he has an electric car, he says that here in Italy it's already hard to own a natural gas vehicle (there are entire provinces in italy with no methane fuel stations at all so you go standard diesel/gasoline or you literally can't refill your car for days).. he has so many problems with his electric car (that alone costs an insane amount of money), I'd love to have one but probably i'll be dead when electric cars will roam the Italian streets..
this of course means as I was saying that the european commission found out that we're going way over every single gas emission deadline and such..
well thanks for the chat as always, I know it's off topic but it's been definitely useful for my Chrome security =P

5 years ago
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Yeah, as i mentioned a few times i am now living with my parents, first priority to get a job, then i would also have the issue of finding a place to live (unless you find a partner), and then when i'd find something i got stuff like high (electricity) bills, there's always gonna be something, unless i just win the lottery someday. :p

They are expensive and why it's bonkers our goverment is trying to shove it down people's throat.
And as long as coal is being used for electricity that really doesn't make such cars cleaner either. people are quick to forgetting that part. ;)

Thanks for the chat too.

5 years ago*
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Lol, just read an article that an electric car becomes greener then a normal car….after….700.000 km. :p

5 years ago
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Now when people question why I dont use google chrome I can mention this. Hopefully not much harm comes out of it in the end

Since this became such a huge thing NO I AM NOT SAYING BOYCOTT GOOGLE CHROME! I would use it myself if it downloaded but now I happy with my own browser since I dont really know the difference between them all. As long as it lets you search online its good enough for me

5 years ago*
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A single security hole that got fixed fast enough? It's not like other browsers don't have them as well.

5 years ago
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yeah, I really don't think that this can be used as a proof in order not to recommend Chrome.. and other browsers aren't definitely "way safer" than this..

5 years ago
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Especially when these days most other browsers are Chrome as well. There are better reasons like wanting to avoid Google.

5 years ago
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5 years ago*
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Most big ones are based on Chromium like Edge, Opera, Vivaldi etc. Firefox tries to emulate Chrome by removing all useful features. Good thing there are actual alternatives like Pale Moon still for power users.

5 years ago
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Yeah I know. I also just don't use it because I just dont. I dont base what browser I use by their security because then I'd never use any browser. I also don't believe people shouldnt use it, I was just making a simple dig/joke about it since most people I know use chrome. That is all. If it downloaded for me I'd be using it myself but it didn't so screw it Opera is fine enough for me

5 years ago
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Tell them that you feel dizzy from the swirly icon of Chrome and you don't like to use it. If anyone gets upset by that, you know you just win by not talking to them further :D

5 years ago
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Yep this is why I dont use it. Because it swirls? Really? Sure because it swirls

5 years ago
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since I dont really know the difference between them all

Google has a crushing market share on the web browser market, which allows them to do wtf they want with web standards. Like this. That's reason enough for me to use anything but Chromium-based browsers.

5 years ago
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Thanks for the heads up. Looks like I'm up to date already.

5 years ago
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Nice way to force some changes people might not want.

5 years ago
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Old software isn't worth anything though. If they make changes that people don't like, the correct response to that is to change browser entirely. Not run an old out-of-date version of it, that's just asking for trouble.

5 years ago
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I meant that they could sneak some stuff we dont want in the software. By ''accident'' of course.

5 years ago
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Old stuff is sometimes much better then this new Crap, most srew it cause makes much more Problems, look how many Times you get an Update for the things now and then Years back then and i mean with everything, not only Browsers.

And they all forces you to use the New things or else you got Screwed too. You use it and what then oh need almost every Minute an Update cause they cant even fix the damn Problems.

Also with the Windows 7, 8, 10 and stuff, much shit you dont need and cant even delete it, cant stop anything and they give you more and more. Just an Example. And they Working all on XP Basic, sorry dont know how to explain. But XP is much better and how many Updates got for that? Not really much, but the other Shit they cant fix, so can use it without a Problem. Just an example.

Its really a shame that they all forces the People, to use the stuff. And dont say, no one forces you, for things you need or want to use, play and stuff need the new things, so it is forcing if you think about it.

And besides, all Browsers have some Holes, so change the Browser wont help either. Its the People where Programming it, they are the Problems and if they cant even Programm it so that it will work fine, so need no Update, not almost everyday, then its the right that the People gets pissed. We are the Users and want to be Safe and trust them, that it is like that. But if they to dumb for it, then they should Search a other Job i guess.

They should ask the People what they want and not giving them Trash trough the whole Install and Update stuff, like in Windows for example, so cant get it away after, cause thats, i have no Words for it.

5 years ago*
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I know you said not to say it... but really, no one is forcing you. It's just that people demand more and more complicated functionality and air tight security. Something that is completely impossible on a system that is connected to the internet. It's either constant security updates or pull the plug - that's the only two ways to have any kind of security today.

It's not like they break these things on purpose either. The systems are just so complex that it's an impossible task to make it secure. Anyone has done any kind of programming knows this, as a program gets as complicated as a browser is, trying to make it 100% secure would be a fools errand.

Also, what I meant with change the browser wasn't that one is more secure than another, but simply that if say Chrome implements something that you dislike, maybe switch to Firefox or Opera. There's plenty of choices in this particular market.

5 years ago
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Yeah, let us use a software full with security holes because we like it that way!
lol

5 years ago
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You could always switch to another browser if you wish to do so.

5 years ago
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FYI - If you want to check for an update manually because Chrome isn't automatically notifying you of this update, open the Menu, navigate to Help, click About Google Chrome. It will confirm whether a newer version is available.

5 years ago
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Added, thanks.

5 years ago
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You know, i think its a bluff. There are multiple zero-day exploits in everything, having such a fuss against one means the want to scare people, but why? Hackers usually use 3-4 of them for one break-in to be completely succesful.
Anyone dig into the new update what it actually contain?

5 years ago
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here i was, thinking we all had automatic updates on by default and they didn't need to use scare tactics to force an update

5 years ago
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Yeah this announcement isnt for those who just use the program, but for those who disable the function, to make them back in the line. As much as disabling actually worth, i disabled windows update since day1 on my computer yet i get them anyway, its there only for decoration.

5 years ago
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Me too, but major updates force themselves in. Still better than with them on by default

5 years ago
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And all that paranoic idiots with IoT stuff, "I'm not using chrome, big brutha, I'm very smart and pretty"

Scared people, well, it's "THE SUN", they usually do that.

5 years ago
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Wanted to check it out and update and realized I switched to opera not so long ago, but thanks for the warning thread ;)

5 years ago
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Typical of The Sun to completely over sensualise the situation. Can't believe people actually read that garbage.

5 years ago
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But it's not just The Sun, it was in our papers too but since not many read dutch, i used an english one.

5 years ago
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the last version is 72.0.3626.121 ?

5 years ago
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yes.

5 years ago
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thanks, it's updated then

5 years ago
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Thanks Lugum for the INFO! 😊 👍

5 years ago
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I wonder if chromium was affected as well (I would never use Chrome anyway).
Mint just pushed an update, but it does not say anything about a security issue in the changleog:

chromium-browser (72.0.3626.121-0ubuntu0.16.04.1) xenial; urgency=medium

  * Upstream release: 72.0.3626.121
    - CVE-2019-5786: Use-after-free in FileReader
  * debian/patches/gn-fix-link-pthread.patch: removed, no longer needed
5 years ago
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another use after free

5 years ago
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"Google Chrome is up to date" ...my data is well protected and nothing bad can happen now!!!!

View attached image.
5 years ago
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