India’s national cybersecurity agency, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT‑In), has issued a high‑severity security advisory for users of Google Chrome on desktop platforms, warning that multiple critical vulnerabilities could expose systems to serious cyber threats. The advisory, published on its official website, outlines several security issues that could be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code, bypass security restrictions, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive information on affected devices.
According to the advisory, these vulnerabilities affect various versions of Google Chrome running on Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. The security flaws stem from several underlying issues in key components of the browser, including integer overflows, heap buffer overflows, object lifecycle problems, and improper data validation in modules such as ANGLE, Skia, WebAudio, CSS, WebAssembly, and the V8 JavaScript engine. A remote attacker could exploit these weaknesses by tricking a user into visiting a specially crafted malicious webpage, after which the attacker might be able to execute code on the victim’s system or access sensitive data.
The affected browser versions include Chrome builds prior to 145.0.7632.159/160 on Windows and macOS, and versions prior to 145.0.7632.159 on Linux. Given the high severity rating assigned to these vulnerabilities, CERT‑In has categorised the risk as significant and has urged users to take immediate action to update their browsers.
Cybersecurity experts emphasise that browsers are a critical gateway for web‑based threats and must be kept up to date at all times. When vulnerabilities of this nature exist in widely deployed software like Google Chrome, attackers could use them to compromise devices, steal credentials, or deploy malware across corporate networks and personal computers. In many cases, exploitation does not require high privilege levels and can occur simply when a user visits a malicious or compromised website.
How Users Can Protect Their Systems
To mitigate these risks, CERT‑In recommends that all individuals, enterprises, and IT administrators verify the version of Google Chrome installed on their desktops and apply the latest security update released by Google. Users can typically check for updates by opening Chrome, navigating to the menu in the top‑right corner, selecting “Help,” and then “About Google Chrome.” The browser will automatically check for and install available updates, after which a restart may be required to complete the process.
In addition to updating the browser, cybersecurity professionals advise users to maintain strong endpoint protection solutions, avoid visiting untrusted websites, and be cautious when opening links or attachments in emails. These practices, along with regular software updates, form the first line of defence against a wide range of online threats.
Why This Matters in India
Google Chrome remains one of the most widely used web browsers in India, both for personal and professional use. With millions of users relying on the browser for everyday internet access, vulnerabilities of this nature pose a potential risk to a broad user base. CERT‑In’s advisory underscores the ongoing need for robust cybersecurity hygiene and the importance of promptly applying vendor‑recommended updates to safeguard digital systems against malicious exploitation.
As cyber threats continue to evolve, regular updates from software vendors like Google play a crucial role in addressing emerging security challenges. Users are strongly advised to stay vigilant and ensure that their systems are protected with the latest security patches.