Google sends out warning to billions of Chrome browser users

Photo (c) Ingus Kruklitis - Getty Images

There are alternatives that users who are concerned about privacy should consider

The “the bigger they are, the harder they fall” axiom couldn’t be more accurate. Google has announced that the 3.2 billion people who use its Chrome browser have been left vulnerable following a series of new hacks aimed at dismantling Chrome. And no one – not Mac users, not PC users, not Linux users – are safe. 

Google confirmed the hacks on its company blog, saying that nine of the 11 hacks that were discovered pose a "high level threat." The company said it’s working on a patch to close off the vulnerabilities.

What should Chrome users do?

To guard against the latest hacks, Forbes reports that Google released the Chrome 100.0.4896.88 update. Nonetheless, some patience will evidently be required. Google said the update will not be made available to everyone all at once. Instead, it will "roll out over the coming days/weeks." 

To manually check for the update, click the three dots in the top right corner of the Chrome browser and navigate to Settings > Help > About Google Chrome. An option to update your browser will be there if it is available.

For those who don't want to move away from the Chrome browser, using Enhanced Safe Browsing mode may be a viable option to keep your web surfing more secure.

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