Are you a Chrome user? If so you better update your software. Google has just announced a new software update that’s designed to take care of a critical flaw in the software’s Javascript engine (among other things).
The vulnerability, labeled as CVE-2021-30551, deals with something referred to as “type confusion in V8.” V8 is a Chrome element that runs JavaScript. Type confusion is when you input V8 a specific sort of data but trick JavaScrip into processing it as if it were something else. This could potentially bypass security on the end-point (i.e. running unauthorized code like a drive-by download).
JavaScript exploits are fairly popular and can cause a substantial amount of damage. For example, a drive-by download (as mentioned above) is when a user visits a compromised website and bad guys run rogue code in the background, most likely to install malware.
How to Upgrade
Thank goodness, this is an easy problem to avoid. Here’s how:
- Check which version of Chrome you’re operating. Click the three vertically aligned dots in the upper left-hand corner of the Chrome window.
- Select Help>About Google Chrome. This is where the version you’re using will be displayed. If it’s 91.0.447.101 you’re good to go.
- If it’s NOT 91.0.447.101 you’ll be prompted to update and restart your browser. Just follow the prompts.
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