The incident occurred last week, lasting nearly 18 hours until Google resolved the issue on July 25. The crash affected Windows users running Chrome version M127. Google reported that approximately 2% of users from the 25% of the total user base where the configuration change was deployed experienced this problem. Given the global scale of Chrome usage, the number of affected users could potentially reach 17 million.
Technical Cause and Implications
Google attributed the technical cause of the incident to “a change in product behavior without proper feature protection.” This suggests that the company may have inadvertently released an untested update. The Google Password Manager, which stores users’ credentials in their Google Accounts and offers the creation of strong, unique passwords, became unavailable for almost a day due to this faulty update.
This incident highlights the potential risks associated with using browser password managers, even from major tech companies like Google. Alternative options for password storage include separate programs such as LastPass or Bitwarden, although it’s worth noting that these services are not entirely immune to security issues either.
Recent Security Concerns at Google
This is not the only recent security-related incident at Google, adds NIXsolutions. Cybersecurity researcher Brian Krebs recently reported a vulnerability in email verification when creating new Google Workspace accounts. This flaw allowed attackers to bypass verification and impersonate domain owners in third-party services. Google promptly addressed this issue, fixing the vulnerability within 72 hours of its discovery.
The Google Password Manager crash serves as a reminder of the importance of robust testing and security measures in widely-used services. As the situation develops, we’ll keep you updated on any new information or measures taken by Google to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Users affected by the crash or concerned about the security of their passwords may want to consider implementing additional security measures or exploring alternative password management solutions. However, it’s crucial to research and carefully evaluate any alternatives before making a switch.