Government Issues Urgent Warning For Google Chrome OS Users

Pune, 2nd July 2024: The Indian government’s cybersecurity agency, CERT-In, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has issued a critical warning for Google Chrome OS users. This advisory highlights several vulnerabilities in Chrome OS that could be exploited by attackers. The government has urged users to update their systems immediately to protect against potential cyber threats. This update is crucial for anyone using Google Chrome OS devices to ensure their security and safeguard their data from cybercriminals.

CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) has detected multiple vulnerabilities in Chrome OS. These vulnerabilities could allow cybercriminals to target users of Google Chrome OS devices. CERT-In’s high-severity warning indicates the importance of addressing these issues promptly. The agency warned that attackers could exploit these vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code on targeted systems, posing significant risks to users.

The advisory, issued on July 1, outlines that the vulnerabilities are present in the Long Term Support (LTS) channel of Chrome OS. Specifically, versions prior to 120.0.6099.315 (platform version: 15662.112) are affected. CERT-In’s advisory specifies that these vulnerabilities result from a heap buffer overflow in WebRTC, a component used for real-time communication in web browsers.

The cybersecurity agency explained that attackers could exploit these weaknesses by luring users to visit specially crafted web pages. Once on these pages, the vulnerabilities could be used to gain unauthorized access or control over the user’s device.

To mitigate these risks, CERT-In has advised all Google Chrome OS users to install the latest updates provided by Google. In a blog post, Google announced that the LTS-120 update is now available for Chrome OS devices, addressing the identified vulnerabilities. The updated version 120.0.6099.315 (platform version: 15662.112) includes fixes that resolve the security issues.

Users are strongly encouraged to update their devices immediately to protect against these vulnerabilities. Keeping software up to date is essential to maintaining security and preventing potential cyberattacks. CERT-In’s proactive measures and timely advisories aim to enhance cybersecurity awareness and protect users from emerging threats.