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Use Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge or Brave? Update Your Browser Now

Many browsers have issued security patches for an issue one government department called "critical."

Zachary McAuliffe Staff writer
Zach began writing for CNET in November, 2021 after writing for a broadcast news station in his hometown, Cincinnati, for five years. You can usually find him reading and drinking coffee or watching a TV series with his wife and their dog.
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Zachary McAuliffe
Hacking, security, and online safety

You should update your browser now.

 James Martin/CNET

If you use Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox or Brave to browse the internet, you should update your browser now to fix a security issue the National Institute of Standards and Technology called "critical." 

All of the browsers mentioned have issued updates to address the issue. If the vulnerability is not addressed, a hostile actor could gain access to, or run malicious code on, your computer. The browsers should update automatically, but you might have to restart your browser for the respective update to apply.

The website StackDiary reports the issue could also affect Electron-based applications, like Signal. The site reports that 1Password, one of the best password managers of 2023, issued an update to address this vulnerability, too.

According to NIST, the issue pertains to the WebP image format, which many browsers and other software use to compress images.

For more, check out why iPhone users should download iOS 16.6.1 now, what to know about Google Chrome's new weekly security updates and the best antivirus software of 2023.