Beware Google Chrome users: Government watchdog issues urgent warning - Here's what you need to do

The government watchdog, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has issued a ‘high’ severity warning for the popular browser Google Chrome. This warning comes in light of major vulnerabilities discovered in the web browser. CERT-In stated that the vulnerabilities could enable hackers to remotely attack systems and execute arbitrary code. 

The security flaws stem from inappropriate implementations in Chrome's Extensions and Type Confusion in V8, which can allow cybercriminals to bypass the browser’s security mechanisms. By executing arbitrary code, attackers can get unauthorised access to sensitive data, such as addresses, banking details, among others, potentially compromising the system. 
“These vulnerabilities exist in Google Chrome due to Inappropriate implementation in Extensions and Type Confusion in V8. A remote attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities by persuading a victim to visit a specially crafted web page”, CERT-In’s warning reads. 

Which are the affected Chrome versions? 

The latest vulnerabilities affect Google Chrome’s versions prior to 130.0.6723.69 for Linux, and versions prior to 130.0.6723.69/.70 for Windows and Mac. Users making use of these versions are requested to update to the latest available version to minimize risks.

What has the government watchdog advised? 

The government watchdog had advised users to update their browser with the latest version. The latest Chrome 130 update largely addresses these issues and is available across almost all platforms, including Mac, Linux, and Windows. 

To update the Chrome to its latest version, follow the steps outlined below: 

- Open Google Chrome on your device and navigate to the three dots in the upper right corner.

- Click on the three dots to display the ‘Help’ option. 

- Select the ‘Help’ option and navigate to the ‘About Google Chrome’ option. 

- The browser will check for any available updates and install the latest version. 

-  After receiving the ‘Complete the Update’ prompt, restart the browser.