Google has released a new Chrome 148 update that fixes 79 security vulnerabilities across desktop and mobile versions of the browser. The update is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, and it is important to install it as soon as possible.
The good news is that Google says none of the fixed flaws are currently known to be exploited in the wild. That means attackers have not yet been seen using these bugs in real attacks. Still, browser security updates matter because vulnerability details can become more useful to attackers after a patch is released.
The new desktop versions are Chrome 148.0.7778.167 and 148.0.7778.168 for Windows and macOS, while Linux gets version 148.0.7778.167. Google has also released Chrome 148.0.7778.167 for Android and Chrome 148.0.7778.166 for iOS. The Android update fixes the same security issues as the desktop builds.
Among the 79 fixed flaws, 14 are rated critical. These are tracked as CVE 2026 8509 through CVE 2026 8522. Another 37 vulnerabilities are rated high risk, while the remaining issues are listed as medium severity.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Total vulnerabilities fixed | 79 |
| Critical flaws | 14 |
| High risk flaws | 37 |
| Medium risk flaws | Remaining issues |
| Desktop versions | Chrome 148.0.7778.167 and 148.0.7778.168 |
| Linux version | Chrome 148.0.7778.167 |
| Android version | Chrome 148.0.7778.167 |
| iOS version | Chrome 148.0.7778.166 |
| Known active exploitation | None reported |
Use after free bugs are again a major part of this update. These flaws happen when a program tries to use memory that has already been released. They are dangerous because they can lead to crashes, data corruption, or possible code execution in some cases.
Out of the fixed issues, 24 are use after free vulnerabilities, and eight of them are rated critical. These bugs are common in software written with languages such as C and C++, which require careful memory handling. Google has been moving toward more memory safe programming languages such as Rust to reduce these risks over time.
Google found 59 of the vulnerabilities internally, while outside security researchers reported 20. The company has awarded $112,000 in bug bounties so far for the external reports.
Chrome usually installs updates automatically, but you can check manually. Open Chrome, go to Help, then About Google Chrome. The browser will check for the latest version and ask you to restart if an update is ready.
Chrome 149 is expected in early June, but this Chrome 148 security update should not be ignored. Since browsers are one of the most common targets for attacks, keeping Chrome updated is one of the simplest ways to reduce risk.
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