Google Releases New Chrome Security Update, Nigerian Users Should Act Now

Google confirmed hackers are actively exploiting a high-severity flaw in Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine, rated 8.8 on the CVSS scale

The vulnerability, CVE-2026-85046, was reported by security researcher Salvatore Gulizia

Chrome users on Windows, macOS and Linux have been urged to update their browsers immediately

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Google has pushed out a new security update for its Chrome browser after confirming that attackers are actively exploiting a serious flaw in the browser's V8 JavaScript and WebAssembly engine.

The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-85046, carries a CVSS score of 8.8 and has been classified as high severity. It is a type-confusion flaw that could allow a remote attacker to run malicious code inside Chrome's sandbox if a user visits a specially crafted webpage.

Google said an exploit is already circulating in the wild but has withheld technical details how the attacks are being carried out to slow further exploitation while users apply the patch.

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How the Flaw Was Found

Security researcher Salvatore Gulizia, also known by the handle Serotav, discovered the vulnerability and reported it to Google on August 4, 2026.

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Google rewarded him with a $1,000 bug bounty for the responsible disclosure.

The latest update addresses 12 vulnerabilities across several browser components, including crash reporting, networking, compositing, V8, WebGL, CacheStorage, DevTools and Skia.

Two additional flaws were rated medium severity.

The update moves Chrome to version 152.0.7977.82/.83 on Windows and macOS, and version 152.0.7977.82 on Linux. Google is rolling it out gradually, so it may take a few days or weeks to reach every user.

To check whether the update is ready, users can open Chrome and go to More > Help > Google Chrome. The browser will for the latest version and download it automatically. Clicking Relaunch will complete the installation.

Sixth Chrome Zero-Day Fixed This Year

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CVE-2026-85046 is the sixth actively exploited Chrome zero-day that Google has patched in 2026. The five vulnerabilities fixed earlier this year were CVE-2026-2441, CVE-2026-3909, CVE-2026-3910, CVE-2026-5281 and CVE-2026-11645.

The scale of Chrome's security challenges this year has been significant. An earlier Chrome 152 update alone resolved more than 300 vulnerabilities, among them 10 critical and 61 high-severity weaknesses.

Why Nigerian Users Should Act Now

For Nigerians, the risk is particularly relevant because Chrome is the browser most commonly used for online banking, e-commerce, government portals and social media.

A successful attack exploiting this vulnerability could expose users to unauthorised code execution or the theft of sensitive personal and financial data, Leadership reports.

Users of other Chromium-based browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera and Vivaldi, should also check for and install any corresponding security updates as they become available.

FG alerts Nigerians using android phones

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT) under the Office of the National Security Adviser has warned Nigerians who use Android devices a malware called Anatsa banking trojan.

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The malware is specifically designed to target banking apps and steal financial information from users.

The malware threats were disclosed in a released advisory by the organisation and have come in response to increasing reports of cyber threats to bank customers.

Dave Ibemere (Senior Business Editor) Dave Ibemere is a senior business editor at Legit.ng. He is a financial journalist with over a decade of experience in print and online media. He also holds a Master's degree from the University of Lagos. He is a member of the African Academy for Open-Source Investigation (AAOSI), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and other media think tank groups. He previously worked with The Guardian, BusinessDay, and headed the business desk at Ripples Nigeria. Email: dave.ibemere@corp.legit.ng.