Urgent new warning for all Chrome users and why you must restart your browser now

All Chrome users have been warned to restart their browsers immediately. The alert has been issued after Google released an urgent security update that fixes a dangerous zero-day vulnerability. For those unaware, a zero-day stamp basically means hackers are already aware of the glitch and are actively exploiting it. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-85046, could be triggered when someone visits a malicious website, potentially allowing cyber criminals to hack an affected computer. Known as Remote Code Execution (RCE), it's one of the more serious types of security flaw. It can give attackers the ability to run malicious commands on a victim's machine, potentially allowing them to steal sensitive information, install malware or even take control of the device. That's why Chrome users should make sure the latest update is installed as soon as possible. "Google released another Chrome update that patches an actively exploited flaw in the V8 JavaScript engine, tracked as CVE-2026-85046," the security team at Malwarebyes explained. "Google rates the vulnerability as high severity and says an exploit already exists in the wild. An attacker could use a crafted HTML page to execute arbitrary code inside the Chrome sandbox. Because it is already being exploited, HKCERT rates the overall risk as extremely high." Google says the Stable channel has now been updated to version 152.0.7977.82/.83 for Windows and Mac, while Linux users are receiving 152.0.7977.82. The update is being rolled out over the coming days and weeks. Google also confirmed the severity of the situation, stating: "Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2026-85046 exists in the wild." The zero-day isn't the only security problem being addressed. The latest release also fixes 11 additional flaws, including nine rated High severity and two classed as Medium. How to update Chrome Checking your browser is simple. Open Chrome on your computer and click the three dots in the top-right corner. Select Help, followed by About Google Chrome. Chrome will automatically check for the latest software and install it if an update is available. Once that's complete, click Relaunch to restart the browser and finish the process. This latest warning comes just a week after Google pushed out another major Chrome security update containing a staggering 327 fixes, including 10 for critical vulnerabilities. Two of those flaws were especially worrying because they could potentially be exploited simply by tricking an unsuspecting Chrome user into visiting a malicious website. Both could allow arbitrary code execution, giving attackers another potentially powerful route into vulnerable devices. With cyber criminals increasingly using fake websites and malicious links to target consumers, keeping Chrome fully updated remains one of the easiest ways to reduce the risk.