Google has issued an urgent security alert to all users of its Chrome web browser, demanding immediate action to protect personal data and devices from a serious cyber threat.
What is the Chrome Zero-Day Threat?
The technology giant has confirmed it has patched a critical security flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-13223, which carries a worrying zero-day rating. This classification means cybercriminals discovered the vulnerability before Google could fix it and are already actively exploiting it in real-world attacks.
In an official update on its security pages, Google stated: "Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2025-13223 exists in the wild." The bug was identified by Clément Lecigne from Google's internal Threat Analysis Group on November 18, 2025.
How to Update Your Chrome Browser Immediately
To defend against this active threat, all Chrome users must ensure they are running the latest patched version of the browser. Google has released update 142.0.7444.175/.176 for Windows, 142.0.7444.176 for Mac, and 142.0.7444.175 for Linux.
Checking your version is straightforward. Follow these simple steps:
- Open the Chrome menu (the three dots in the top-right corner).
- Select "Help" and then "About Google Chrome".
- A new window will open, displaying your current version number.
If you see a prompt to relaunch the browser, this indicates your version is out-of-date. You must complete the update and restart Chrome without delay to secure your system.
Why Full Disclosure is Being Delayed
Google has explained that specific details about the bug are being temporarily restricted. The company stated this is a standard security practice to prevent further exploitation while the majority of users are still updating their software.
"Access to bug details and links may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix," Google confirmed. Restrictions will also remain if the flaw exists in a third-party library that other projects rely on but have not yet patched.
This urgent Chrome update is rolling out globally over the coming days and weeks. Taking a moment to restart your browser is a simple but critical step to safeguard your digital life from this immediate cybersecurity risk.
