Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- PCWorld reports Chrome 148 addresses 127 security vulnerabilities, including three critical flaws, with Google paying $138,000 in bounties to researchers.
- This update matters significantly as it patches over double the vulnerabilities from the previous version, covering high-risk, medium-risk, and low-risk security issues.
- Chrome automatically updates across Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS platforms, though users can manually check via Help menu for immediate protection.
With new Chrome versions 148.0.7778.96/97 for Windows and macOS and 148.0.7778.96 for Linux, the developers have fixed over 100 security vulnerabilities. According to Google, none of the patched vulnerabilities are being exploited in the wild yet.
What’s new in Chrome 148?
The browser’s internal “What’s New?” page promotes the ability to take tab groups with you to other devices as the only new feature, although this was already the case in Chrome 147.
Chrome is also set to offer the option to arrange tabs vertically rather than horizontally in the near future. Reading mode is set to become more immersive by filling the entire browser window rather than just half of a split view. Both features were originally due for release in April, but are still not available (at least not for everyone).
Security fixes in Chrome 148
In the Chrome Releases blog post, Srinivas Sista lists 127 fixed security vulnerabilities. That’s more than twice as many vulnerabilities fixed in the previous version (Chrome 147). Specialized “AI” tools are likely to have played a significant role in the dramatic increase in vulnerabilities found. Google itself discovered exactly 100 of them, while the remainder were detected and reported by external security researchers.
Three of the vulnerabilities are classified as critical: CVE-2026-7896 is an integer overflow in the Blink HTML renderer, while CVE-2026-7897 and CVE-2026-7898 are use-after-free (UAF) vulnerabilities in the Mobile and Chromoting (also known as Chrome Remote Desktop) components.
A further 31 vulnerabilities are classified as high risk, with more than half of these also being UAF vulnerabilities. Of the remaining flaws, 66 are classified as medium risk and 27 as low risk. Google has so far awarded $138,000 in bounties to the discoverers of these vulnerabilities.
Update Chrome now
Chrome usually updates automatically when a new version is available. You can manually check for updates via the menu item Help → About Google Chrome (or Settings → About Google Chrome).
Google also released Chrome for Android version 148.0.7778.120 this week, having released Chrome for iOS version 148.0.7778.100 last week. The Android version addresses the same vulnerabilities as the desktop versions. The Extended Stable Channel for Windows and macOS now includes version 148.0.7778.97.
The release of Chrome version 149 is expected in early June.
Tip: Whether you keep your browser up to date, you need proper antivirus protections if you want your PC to remain secure and private. Check out our picks for the best antivirus software for Windows as well as best VPN services to stay ahead of security problems.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German.