Google Releases Update for Zero-Day High Severity Chrome Security Bug

Windows, Mac, Linux Users Need to Update Chrome Web Browsers Today for Protection

Google has updated its web browser to Chrome version 86.0.4240.111. The update fixes a critical security flaw and applies to all Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome versions. The update is now available to all users. The bottom of this post has instructions on how to get the free upgrade.

Google stated that it is aware of reports that cybercriminals are actively exploiting CVE-2020-15999 to compromise computers. No more details about the security flaw or how hackers are exploiting it are available is this as a zero-day security vulnerability.

Once the security update has been rolled out to the majority of Chrome web browser users more details will become available.

“Project Zero discovered and reported an actively exploited 0day in freetype that was being used to target Chrome,” Ben Hawkes a Project Zero technical lead Tweeted.

CVE-2020-15999 was discovered by cyber security researcher Sergei Glazunov from Google Project Zero on 19 October 2020. Glazunov  wrote that, “A vulnerability exists in the function `Load_SBit_Png`, which processes PNG images embedded into fonts.”

This Chrome update includes 5 security-related fixes:

1. [1125337] High Severity CVE-2020-16000: Inappropriate implementation in Blink.

• [1135018] High Severity CVE-2020-16001: Use after free in media.

• [1137630] High Severity CVE-2020-16002: Use after free in PDFium.

• [1139963] High Severity CVE-2020-15999: Heap buffer overflow in Freetype

• [1134960] Medium Severity CVE-2020-16003: Use after free in printing.

The new Chrome update also patches three other high-severity security flaws and one other medium severity security bug.

How to Update to Chrome  86.0.4240.111

Chrome users should update their browsers straightaway. Here how to do it with just a few clicks.

1. Open Chrome Web browser
2. In the upper right of the screen tap the three vertical dots to open the Chrome menu
3. Select Help
4. Select About Google Chrome.
5. You can see which version of Chrome you are using on the pop-up window.

The Chrome update began automatically, but you’ll have to relaunch Chrome to complete the upgrade.