If you are one of the increasing numbers of the Chrome browser, you will be pleased to know that its maker, Google, has updated its software with a number of security fixes that will make your internet surfing a safer experience. Google’s Chrome has been around for some months now, and the company has already developed a 64-bit version for the Linux operating system. (Still no Apple version though.)

The security fixes in question deal with a number of issues that were deemed serious by internet security experts. The most serious flaw in Chrome, which was called a “high-severity” vulnerability by ZDNet, concerned the stable version of Chrome. The flaw could have allowed an attacker remotely take over a person’s computer.

“With one attack on Google’s V8 JavaScript engine, malicious JavaScript on a website could let an attacker gain access to sensitive data or run arbitrary code on the computer within a Chrome-protected area called the sandbox,” Google said in a blog post recently.

With the other, a page with XML-encoded information could cause a browser tab crash that could let an attacker run arbitrary code within the sandbox. But now, Chrome 2.0.172.43 fixes the issues and another medium-severity issue. Once Chrome is installed, it retrieves updates automatically and applies them when people restart the browser.

Google will not release details of the vulnerabilities until “a majority of users are up to date with the fix”, engineering program manager Jonathan Conradt said in the blog post.

Security on the internet is a perennially important issue and affects everyone in some way or another, from an annoying website that won’t let you leave by somehow continuing to open up web pages and pop-ups even after you think you’ve closed everything, to the more serious damage that can be done by cybercriminals who go “phishing” for people’s personal information, like bank account details and so on.

The latest reports indicate that phishing has somehow been reduced, but the threat from malware pushers needs to be monitored at all times. It may be because of such concerns that Apple’ new Snow Leopard operating system comes with built-in anti-virus software, according to the rumours.

Apple computers are rarely affected by viruses – most malware developers target the most popular operating system, Windows – but it’s something that all computer users need to ensure that they are mindful of. Investing in anti-virus products from companies Symantec, McAffee and Kaspersky could not only save you from the occasionally annoying virus, it could also save you from the life-changing and devastating ones.

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