GOOGLE has issued a major warning as hundreds of millions of devices “cut off”, leaving them vulnerable to sinister crooks.
The tech giant has announced that users with outdated software will no longer be able to access Google Chrome.
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Anyone using an Android device running below version 10.0 will lose access to the site starting this August.
Millions of users still rely on outdated software due to limited manufacturer updates, abandoned devices from carriers, and other factors.
Still, these devices can’t keep up with today’s technology.
It follows Google’s move in 2023, when it ended support for devices running Android 7.0 Nougat, introduced in 2016.
The announcement comes as the tech giant prepares to launch Chrome 139, expected in the first 7 to 10 days of the month.
The biggest impact for users of outdated Android versions is missing out on vital security updates.
Users with Android versions below 10.0 should try to upgrade to continue using Google Chrome.
If an upgrade isn’t possible, replacing the outdated device is the best option.
Otherwise, your device could be left exposed to cybercriminals while browsing the web.
Google said in a support document: “Chrome 138 is the last version of Chrome that will support Android 8.0 (Oreo) and Android 9.0 (Pie).
“You’ll need to ensure your device is running Android 10.0 or later to continue receiving future Chrome releases.
“Older versions of Chrome will continue to work, but there will be no further updates released for users on these operating systems.”
It comes after the tech giant issued an alert to anyone who uses the browser on their PC.
A concerning bug has been found on the popular app which could lead to hijacking of your device.
The bug has been given a “zero-day” mark which indicates that the vulnerability is being actively used by hackers in the wild.
Google has acted swiftly to address the issue and has now patched the browser to prevent it from any further attacks.
Google said: “Google is aware of reports that an exploit for CVE-2025-4664 exists in the wild.
“The Stable channel has been updated to 136.0.7103.113/.114 for Windows, Mac and 136.0.7103.113 for Linux which will roll out over the coming days/weeks.”
However, the fix will only work after it has been downloaded and installed on your browser.
Vsevolod Kokorin, a security researcher at Solidlab, was the first to discover this most recent Chrome issue and confirmed that it may result in an account takeover by cybercriminals.
It is now crucial to make sure you are using the most recent version of Chrome if you use it as your primary web browser.
To accomplish this, just select “About Chrome” after clicking on the Chrome in the toolbar.
Make sure you have rebooted your browser to the latest version as soon as possible.
