Google has released an urgent security update for Chrome, after discovering several high-severity vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to remotely execute malicious code on users' systems
See also: Chrome: Over 100 malicious extensions detected
The most critical vulnerability, a “ Use after free ” flaw in the browser’s Compositing system , poses serious risks to users who have not yet updated Chrome. Security experts warn that these vulnerabilities can be exploited to gain control of affected systems, which could lead to data theft , malware installation, or other breaches.
Users are strongly advised to immediately update Chrome to version 137.0.7151.40/.41 for Windows and Mac. On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Google released an early stable update for Chrome, addressing eight security vulnerabilities.
The update was initially distributed to a small percentage of users as part of Google's gradual rollout strategy. However, due to the severity of the vulnerabilities, security experts recommend that all users update their browser immediately.
See also: Google updates Family Link with better parental controls
The most critical issue, codenamed CVE-2025-5063, concerns a “Use after free” vulnerability in the Compositing system, which is responsible for rendering visual elements on web pages.
Google's security team has rated this issue as "high severity" due to its potential for serious exploitation . This vulnerability could potentially allow attackers to execute malicious code remotely by tricking users into visiting specially crafted websites.
“Use-after-free” vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous, as they involve exploiting memory areas after they have already been freed, which can allow the execution of arbitrary code by the attacker.
Google's decision to move forward with an early stable release underscores the criticality of this security update, as such actions are typically only taken when there are serious threats that may already be actively exploited.
See also: New Chrome vulnerability allows data leakage
Security experts recommend enabling automatic updates for browsers and software in general to ensure timely protection against new vulnerabilities that are discovered. In addition, users should be especially careful when visiting unknown websites and avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading files from untrusted sources.
Source: cybersecuritynews
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