Hackers are already flooding browsers with malware and phishing links, and now researchers have discovered a vulnerability that gives them direct access to services on your laptop.
This vulnerability, known as 0.0.0.0 Day, affects all Chromium-based browsers, including Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge.
What’s concerning is that this vulnerability has been present in these browsers for the past 18 years and has only been discovered now.
The 0.0.0.0 Day vulnerability was discovered by the Israeli app security firm Oligo and subsequently reported by The Hacker News. It involves the use of IP address, 0.0.0.0, which is normally harmless. But with this vulnerability, attackers could misuse it to access and control local services on your computer.
The critical vulnerability “exposes a fundamental flaw in how browsers handle network requests, potentially granting malicious actors access to sensitive services running on local devices,” Oligo Security researcher Avi Lumelsky said.
Security researchers have found that websites with “.com” domains can communicate with services on a local network and run unauthorized code using the address 0.0.0.0. This vulnerability also allows them to bypass Private Network Access (PNA), which is supposed to stop public websites from accessing private network endpoints directly.
In simple terms, this vulnerability could allow bad actors to break into your local services and execute unauthorized actions on your device.
The vulnerability affects browsers including Google Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox on devices running macOS and Linux. If you’re a Windows user, you don’t have to worry because Microsoft blocks this IP address at the operating system level.
Chrome started blocking access to the IP address 0.0.0.0 from Chromium 128 in July. Google will gradually roll out this change, completing it by Chrome 133, when the IP address will be fully blocked for all Chrome and Chromium users.
Meanwhile, Apple has already updated WebKit, the browser engine used by Safari, to block access to 0.0.0.0. Mozilla has also blocked this IP address in Firefox. To protect yourself from getting affected, keep your browser up to date.
The best way to protect yourself from security flaws is to keep your browser up to date. Below are the steps to keep it updated.
For mobile devices, you can update Chrome via the Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iOS) by searching for Chrome and tapping Update if available
For mobile devices, updates can be done through the respective app stores (Google Play Store for Android and App Store for iOS) by searching for Edge and tapping Update if available.
For iOS devices, updates are done through the Settings app under General > Software Update.
For mobile devices, you can update Firefox through the Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iOS) by searching for Firefox and tapping Update if available.
Below are some extra steps to take to prevent being affected by hackers exploiting security vulnerabilities.
1. Have strong antivirus software: Hackers often gain access to devices by sending infected emails or documents or tricking you into clicking a link that downloads malware. You can avoid all of this by installing strong antivirus software that will detect any potential threat before it can take over your device or router.
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
2. Recognize urgent requests as potential scams: Always be wary if someone is urgently requesting you to do something like send money, provide personal information or click on a lin. Chances are it’s a scam.
3. Use strong and unique passwords: Create strong passwords for your accounts and devices and avoid using the same password for multiple online accounts. Consider using a password manager to securely store and generate complex passwords. It will help you to create unique and difficult-to-crack passwords that a hacker could never guess. Second, it also keeps track of all your passwords in one place and fills passwords in for you when you’re logging into an account so that you never have to remember them yourself. The fewer passwords you remember, the less likely you will be to reuse them for your accounts. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed Password Managers of 2024 here.
4. Enable two-factor authentication: Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification, such as a code sent to your phone, in addition to your password.
