High risk of hacking for Android and Google Chrome users in India: Government issues urgent alert

In a recent update for cybersecurity, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has released a high-risk advisory for Android and Google Chrome users in India.

According to CERT-In, Android phones, and Google Chrome browsers have found major vulnerabilities that hackers could use. This alert highlights major risks that can make millions of devices potentially vulnerable to cyber threats.

These vulnerabilities originate from different aspects of the Google Chrome system and the Android operating system, in which if not solved, hackers can run arbitrary code on the targeted systems. The threat level has been rated high, signaling the urgency for users to take immediate action.

Android and Chrome under threat

Google Chrome users have been affected by such things as Integer Overflow, V8 JavaScript engine defects, and Type Confusion. These can be initiated if users’ browsers take them to some of the malicious websites, thus exposing them to dangerous attacks. The said Chrome versions are across the Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms.

Similarly, Android users are at risk, with CERT-In warning about vulnerabilities in several Android versions, from Android 12 to the latest, Android 15. Critical components like Framework, Systemamp, MediaTek, and Qualcomm subcomponents are affected. If exploited, these flaws could give attackers unauthorized access to personal data or control over the device itself.

How can users protect themselves from Cyber Threats?

CERT-In has appealed to all user to begin upgrading their devices as early as now in order to avoid being attacked by these vulnerabilities. Here are some recommended steps:

For Google Chrome: Check that your browser is of the most recent version. For Windows and Mac, it is 129.0.6668.100, and for Linux it is 129.0.6668.89. To do so, go to ‘About Chrome’ and look for any patches that have been released and apply them.

For Android Devices: Google is releasing security fixes for the versions that are infected. Android users should always look for updates from their device settings and be sure to update them as soon as possible. One of the ways to protect your device from these cyber threats is to ensure it is updated.

In this way, users can decrease the chances of falling prey to such security weaknesses to a very large extent.