Is it safe to use Google Chrome 143? What does the new update fix?
Yes. On December 2, 2025, Google officially released Chrome 143 as a stable update. The update is version 143.0.7499.40/41 for Windows, Mac (and Linux). It fixes several serious security holes, some of which could let anyone run any code.
What is Chrome 143's security update, and what does it fix?
What's new: security and bug fixes are the main things.
When Google released Chrome 143, they added more than just UI changes and useful features. The most important thing about this update is that it fixes security holes that could let anyone run code, which is one of the most dangerous types of browser flaws.
One important fix fixes a memory-safety problem in the code that handles UI and CSS transformations (through the libxslt library). In earlier versions, this code was not maintained for months and was very likely to cause buffer overflows. If a bad website took advantage of these overflows, it could let code run on a remote machine.
What were the weaknesses, and how bad were they?
The update fixes 13 security holes in all. CVE-2025-13630 is a "type confusion" bug in Chrome's JavaScript engine (V8) that is one of the most serious. This kind of bug, where the engine thinks one data type is another, can let hackers use memory in ways that aren't always clear, which lets them run any code they want.
CVE-2025-13631 is a problem with the update mechanism itself (the "Google Updater" service), and CVE-2025-13633 is a "use-after-free" memory corruption bug in the Digital Credentials component. This release also fixes several medium- and low-severity problems with other parts, such as the download manager and UI components.
The threat was real, especially for people using older versions of Chrome, because these vulnerabilities could be triggered just by going to a bad website ("drive-by compromise").
How to update right now for Windows, Mac, and Linux
If you have turned off or delayed auto-update, here's how to manually update to Chrome 143:
• Click the menu (three dots) in Chrome and then go to Help → Things to Know About Google Chrome
• Chrome should automatically look for updates. If 143 is available, it will ask you to download and install it. • After the update, click "Relaunch" to restart the browser and finish the installation.
You can download the stable build (143.0.7499.40) from the official download page when it becomes available. This is for Linux or manual installers. If you are in charge of Chrome in a business, use your internal software deployment tools or the enterprise configuration policies.
What else is new besides security? Features and rollout to businesses
Chrome 143 brings some changes to usability and enterprise management, even though security is the main focus.
• Some parts of the UI and CSS processing were changed, which changed how they looked and made them more stable.
• Chrome 143 brings changes to extension management, storage partitioning, and more detailed privacy and security defaults for businesses that use enterprise policies. These changes are all part of the "Gemini policy."
• The update is for all platforms that are supported, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and ChromeOS. This means that users on all devices will be able to use it.
Why this matters: risks before fixing
Users, especially those with older versions, were at serious risk before Chrome 143:
• Attackers could use a bad website to run any code they want, which could take over the browser or even the whole system. All you have to do to get this kind of "drive-by infection" is go to a page that is compromised or has malware on it.
• Weaknesses in the update system could let hackers change the browser itself, making malware that lasts or giving them special access.
• For businesses, unpatched browsers meant that everyone in the company was at risk, which made it more likely that data would leak or systems would be compromised.
Because so many people use Chrome, these problems have had big effects in the real world.
Important insights
Advantages
• The Chrome 143 security update fixes 13 security holes, some of which are very serious and let anyone run any code.
• It lowers the chance of drive-by malware infections, which is a common way for hackers to get into systems.
• The update also makes things more stable, faster, and better at following company policies under the "Gemini policy" framework.
Disadvantages, limitations, and things we don't know
• Google and many security researchers hold off on sharing detailed technical information until most users have updated. This means that not all bug details (or proof-of-concept code) are available to the public yet. Because of this uncertainty, it's hard to tell how easy or hard it was to exploit.
• People or businesses that don't update right away are still at a lot of risk, especially if they visit websites they don't trust. The update fixes a lot of known bugs, but there could always be more that haven't been found yet, especially since memory-safety bugs are still common in complex software.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chrome 143, and what does it do?
As of December 2, 2025, Chrome 143 is the most recent stable version of Google Chrome. It fixes 13 security holes, some of which are very serious and could let attackers run any code they want just by getting you to visit a bad website.
Does Chrome 143 fix a zero-day security hole?
Indirectly, yes. Chrome 143 fixes more serious security holes, some of which are in memory-safety codebases, even though many zero-day bugs were already fixed in earlier versions (like version 142). This makes the attack surface smaller.
How do I now update Chrome to version 143 by hand?
To find out more about Google Chrome, open Chrome, click the menu, and then click Help. It will automatically download if Chrome 143 is available. After that, click "Relaunch" to finish the update.
Are the Linux, macOS, and Android versions affected and up to date?
Yes. The stable release notes say that Chrome 143 makes changes to all supported platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and ChromeOS.
After updating, do I need to restart the computer?
You need to restart Chrome after the update, which reloads the browser. You don't need to restart your whole system; just make sure Chrome starts up correctly.
What you need to do right now
If you use Chrome at home or at work, you should update to Chrome 143 as soon as you can. This update makes it much less likely that your computer will be hacked, have arbitrary code run, or get malware that won't go away.
Even if Chrome seems to update itself, go to Help > About Google Chrome and make sure you have version 143. If you manage devices at work, make sure the update goes out quickly and to a lot of people.
Update: July 2026 : Chrome 143 is No Longer the Latest Version
Chrome 143 was an important security update when Google released it in December 2025. However, users should no longer treat Chrome 143 as the latest or most secure version of the browser.
As of July 20, 2026, the latest stable desktop release is Chrome 150. Google updated the Stable channel on July 14, 2026, to version 150.0.7871.124 or 150.0.7871.125 for Windows and macOS, and version 150.0.7871.124 for Linux. The update is being distributed gradually to users.
What the Latest Chrome 150 Update Fixes
The July 14 Chrome 150 update includes 15 security fixes. Two vulnerabilities are classified as Critical:
- CVE-2026-15764: Use-after-free vulnerability in Ozone
- CVE-2026-15765: Use-after-free vulnerability in Ozone
Ozone is part of Chrome’s platform and graphics abstraction system. Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when software continues using memory after it has been released. Depending on the circumstances, attackers may use this type of memory corruption to crash the browser, access information, or execute malicious code.
The update also fixes several High-severity vulnerabilities affecting important Chrome components:
- CVE-2026-15766: Uninitialized memory use in Skia
- CVE-2026-15767: Heap buffer overflow in libyuv
- CVE-2026-15768: Insufficient policy enforcement in HTML-in-Canvas
- CVE-2026-15769: Insufficient validation in Linux Toolkit Theming
- CVE-2026-15770: Uninitialized memory use in V8
- CVE-2026-15771: Insufficient validation of untrusted input in Media
- CVE-2026-15772: Use-after-free vulnerability in GPU
- CVE-2026-15773: Use-after-free vulnerability in Core
- CVE-2026-15774: Use-after-free vulnerability in Skia
- CVE-2026-15775: Insufficient policy enforcement in V8
- CVE-2026-15776: Type confusion vulnerability in V8
- CVE-2026-15777: Use-after-free vulnerability in the Chrome UI
A Medium-severity input-validation vulnerability affecting Navigation was also fixed.
Was Chrome 150 Fixing an Actively Exploited Zero-Day?
Google’s July 14 release announcement does not state that any of the listed vulnerabilities were being actively exploited in the wild. However, this does not mean users should delay installing the update.
The release includes Critical and High-severity memory-safety vulnerabilities affecting the browser’s graphics, JavaScript, media, GPU, interface, and core components. These areas frequently process data received from websites, media files, browser extensions, and other external sources.
Google may temporarily restrict access to detailed vulnerability information until most users have installed the fixed version. The company may also keep information restricted when the same vulnerable third-party library is used by other projects that have not yet released a fix.
Important Security Updates Released After Chrome 143
Chrome has received several major releases and hundreds of security fixes since Chrome 143.
For example, Chrome 149 was initially released on June 2, 2026, with 429 security fixes. Later Chrome 149 updates addressed additional Critical vulnerabilities involving Ozone, File Input, Aura, Bluetooth, Gamepad, WebGL, WebView, Blink, WebShare, Media, extensions, GPU components, and other parts of the browser.
This means that remaining on Chrome 143 would leave a device without many security protections introduced between December 2025 and July 2026.
Is It Still Safe to Use Chrome 143?
Chrome 143 was suitable when it was released, but it should now be considered outdated. Users should update to the latest stable version offered for their operating system rather than intentionally remaining on version 143.
An outdated browser may be missing fixes for vulnerabilities discovered after its release. Even when antivirus software is installed, it may not completely protect a browser from vulnerabilities involving JavaScript, memory corruption, malicious websites, browser components, or compromised web content.
How to Update Chrome Now
To check for the newest version:
- Open Google Chrome.
- Select the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner.
- Select Help.
- Select About Google Chrome.
- Allow Chrome to search for and download the available update.
- Select Relaunch to finish installing it.
Chrome normally downloads updates in the background. However, the update may remain pending when the browser has not been closed or restarted for a long time. Google says open tabs and regular browser windows should reopen after Chrome relaunches, but Incognito windows will not reopen.
Users can also enter the following address directly into Chrome:
chrome://settings/help
The version number displayed on that page should be compared with the latest version available for the user’s platform.
Recommendations for Businesses and Administrators
Organizations should not use Chrome 143 as an approved enterprise baseline in July 2026. Administrators should:
- Deploy the latest Chrome Stable release through their device-management or software-deployment system.
- Check whether browser relaunches are pending on employee devices.
- Monitor installed Chrome versions and investigate devices that remain several releases behind.
- Review extension policies and remove unnecessary or unapproved extensions.
- Test important internal web applications against the latest stable release.
- Use a controlled update window for critical systems, but avoid delaying security updates unnecessarily.
- Confirm that the underlying Windows, macOS, or Linux version is still supported by current Chrome releases.
Updated Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chrome 143 currently the latest stable version?
No. Chrome 143 was released in December 2025. As of July 20, 2026, the current desktop Stable channel is Chrome 150, with version 150.0.7871.124 or 150.0.7871.125 available depending on the operating system.
Should I update even if Chrome 143 appears to work normally?
Yes. Security vulnerabilities do not always produce visible errors or performance problems. A browser can appear to work normally while still containing vulnerabilities that have already been fixed in later releases.
Do I need to restart my entire computer?
Usually, no. You normally need to relaunch Chrome to activate the newly installed browser version. A complete computer restart may still be useful when Chrome cannot update correctly or when operating-system updates are also pending.
Why does Google hide some vulnerability details?
Google may restrict technical information until most users have received the update. This helps reduce the chance that attackers will use the published details against users who have not yet installed the fix. Details may also remain restricted when a vulnerability affects a shared third-party component used by other software.
Updated Action List
- Update Chrome to version 150 or the newest version offered for your device.
- Relaunch the browser after the update.
- Do not intentionally remain on Chrome 143.
- Keep automatic browser updates enabled.
- Remove unused or suspicious extensions.
- Update the operating system and security software.
- Businesses should monitor browser-version compliance across managed devices.
Updated Takeaway
The original advice to install Chrome 143 was correct at the time of its release. However, Chrome 143 is no longer the appropriate security target.
Users should now install Chrome 150 or the latest stable build available through Chrome’s built-in update system. The July 2026 update fixes 15 vulnerabilities, including two Critical use-after-free vulnerabilities and several High-severity problems affecting V8, Skia, GPU processing, media handling, Chrome’s interface, and core browser components.
Keeping Chrome updated is important because the browser continuously processes untrusted websites, scripts, images, advertisements, downloads, and media. Updating and relaunching Chrome remains one of the simplest ways to reduce exposure to browser-based attacks.
You can also read these important cybersecurity news articles on our website.
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