Google has confirmed that it will soon end support for Chrome browser on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 early next year. “With the release of Chrome 110 (tentatively scheduled for February 7th, 2023), we’ll officially end support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.” the company said in an official blog. This means that users of Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 will not be able to receive new versions of the browser with updated privacy and features, however the older versions of Chrome will continue to work.
“You’ll need to ensure your device is running Windows 10 or later to continue receiving future Chrome releases. This matches Microsoft’s end of support for Windows 7 ESU and Windows 8.1 extended support on January 10th, 2023.” the blog further reads. Google Chrome is the most popular web browser across the globe with more than 50% of the market share.
If someone is still using Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, it is advised to upgrade to a supported version of Windows if they want to keep getting Chrome`s security updates and new features, the company said.
Recently, a report said, with 303 vulnerabilities and a cumulative total of 3,159 vulnerabilities as of 2022, Google Chrome was the most vulnerable browser available. According to the report, the figures were based on data from a database, covering January 1 to October 5.
Google Chrome was the only browser with vulnerabilities in the five days in October, including CVE-2022-3318, CVE-2022-3314, CVE-2022-3311, CVE-2022-3309, and CVE-2022-3307. The CVE programme tracked security flaws and vulnerabilities across multiple platforms.
The database does not list details for the flaws, but the report said they could lead to memory corruption on a computer.
(with inputs from IANS)
