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Urgent Chrome Update: High-Severity Security Flaw Actively Exploited

Google releases a critical Chrome update to patch an actively exploited security vulnerability.

Feb 17
2 min read
Urgent Chrome Update: High-Severity Security Flaw Actively Exploited

Top Summary

  • What happened: Google released a security update for Chrome to fix a high-severity vulnerability (CVE-2026-2441) that is actively being exploited.
  • Why it matters: Hackers are actively exploiting this flaw to run harmful code by tricking users into opening malicious web pages, potentially taking control of the browser.
  • What changes for people: Chrome users must immediately update their browser to version 145.0.7632.75 or later to stay protected.
  • Who is affected: Google Chrome users on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and users of Chromium-based browsers like Edge, Brave, and Opera.

Critical Chrome Security Update Released

Google has issued an urgent security update for its Chrome browser. This update addresses a high-severity vulnerability that is actively being exploited. The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2026-2441, has a CVSS score of 8.8.

The flaw is a use-after-free bug in CSS. It allows attackers to execute arbitrary code within the browser's sandbox.

Details of the Vulnerability

According to the NIST's National Vulnerability Database, the vulnerability allows

"a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code inside a sandbox via a crafted HTML page."

Security researcher Shaheen Fazim discovered and reported the flaw on February 11, 2026.

 

The Hacker News reports that Google acknowledges

"an exploit for CVE-2026-2441 exists in the wild."

However, Google has not released details about the exploitation methods, attackers, or affected targets.

 

Update Your Chrome Browser Immediately

The fix is available in Chrome version 145.0.7632.75 and later. It is crucial to update your browser immediately.

Here's how to update Chrome:

  • Go to More > Help > About Google Chrome.
  • Select Relaunch to install the latest updates.

Impact on Chromium-Based Browsers

Users of other Chromium-based browsers should also apply the fixes as they become available. This includes browsers like Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi.

This vulnerability underscores the importance of browser security. Browsers are a frequent target for malicious actors due to their wide installation base.

Apple Also Releases Security Updates

In related news, Apple released updates for its operating systems last week. The updates cover iOS, iPadOS, macOS Ventura, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS.

These updates address a zero-day flaw (CVE-2026-20700). This flaw had been weaponized to execute arbitrary code on susceptible devices.

What to Watch Next

Expect more information from Google regarding the exploitation of CVE-2026-2441 as investigations continue. Continue to monitor security updates for all your devices and browsers, especially Chromium-based products, to stay protected against emerging threats.