Google launched its web browser Google Chrome on the Windows platform three years back. Since then we have been comparing it with various other explorers and trying to find out how secure this browser is. Few weeks back in the month of February, Google released a new, updated version of its Chrome browser. It is being said that they have fixed 19 vulnerabilities which were present in the last version. The new version of Chrome browser also includes an updated version of Adobe Flash. Adobe and Google have also collaborated closely on integrating new versions of Flash into Chrome as quickly as possible. On the same day of the release of this updated browser, Google also surprised the whole gaming community. All the attendees at San Francisco’s Game Developers’ Conference (GDC) were offered free Chrome OS laptops.
Google on that day announced that they have fixed 19 bugs in Chrome browser. They also handed out $14,000 as bug bounties. With this payout, it for the first time that Chromium Security Rewards program has crossed the $100,000 mark. (If one can remember, Chromium Security Rewards program was launched in 2010 beginning and it was started to reward some selected, interesting and original vulnerabilities which were reported to Google by their security research community. The base reward for eligible bugs is $500 and if particularly severe or clever bug is encountered, the person submitting the bug will get a reward of $1337).
Among the bugs, sixteen were classified as “High” risk bugs, and these sixteen included a URL bar spoof, crashes with JavaScript dialogs, form controls and SVG (scalable vector graphics) rendering. This also contains three critical vulnerabilities related to the graphics processing unit (GPU) process in the browser. The rest three bugs were rated as medium. The reward of $ 14000 was distributed among nine individuals and teams. Sergey Glazunov and Martin Barbella, both identified three bugs each and they both took $3000 home.
We all know about Pwn2Own competition. It is a hacking competition where the hackers target to crack web browsers and mobile phones. This Pwn2Own competition is going to be organized for the fifth time this year (it is an annual competition). Google has announced that if any researcher can topple Chrome browser, it is going to reward him $20,000.
It can be easily understood that all these were done by Google in order to gather support for its new operating system, Chrome OS. According to Information Week, Google gave the attendees of Games Developers’ Conference, their own Chrome OS beta laptop. And the people who attended two GDC sessions, they were provided with blue cards so that they could trade in for the Cr-48. (It is the notebook designed for testing Chrome OS). This new version of Chrome is now available for Windows, Mac, Linux and Chrome Frame.
