Chrome 155 patches 37 security flaws, seven rated critical

Google’s October 13 desktop Chrome update fixes 37 security flaws, including seven rated critical. If you usually leave the browser open, check for an update and relaunch when prompted to apply it.

What the seven critical fixes cover

The critical flaws include one buffer overflow in ANGLE and six use-after-free vulnerabilities in Browser, PDF, Network, Core, SVG and Media. Use-after-free means accessing memory after it has been released.

Google’s announcement does not report active exploitation or identify these flaws as zero-day vulnerabilities. Some bug details may remain restricted until most users have updated or affected third-party projects have applied fixes.

A separate October patch, arriving in stages

This is a new update following the October 6 release. The versions are 155.0.8059.79 or 155.0.8059.80 for Windows and Mac, and 155.0.8059.79 for Linux.

Google is rolling the release out over the coming days and weeks, so it may not be offered on every computer yet.

Check for the update, then finish the restart

On Windows or Mac, open the three-dot menu and choose Help > About Google Chrome to check the version and look for updates. Select Relaunch if a pending update is ready to apply. On Linux, update Chrome through your package manager, then restart the browser.

Chrome normally applies automatic updates when you close and reopen it, so leaving the browser running can leave an update pending. Google says regular tabs and windows reopen after a relaunch, but Incognito windows do not. Save anything you need from an Incognito session before restarting.