Google buffs Chrome

Just a week after initial release, Google has rush-released an incremental upgrade to its Chrome web browser that addresses security flaws and performance glitches.

The latest Chrome beta, version 0.2.149.29, fixes a JavaScript bug that caused problems with Facebook; a glitch that saw Chrome crash when directed to a website address containing the % symbol; plus an arcane but proven security hole that allowed hackers to introduce malicious code under certain circumstances when the Save As command was used.

Anybody who downloads Chrome today will get the new version. Those who downloaded Chrome earlier are also patched; Google says its browser has a behind-the-scenes update service that constantly supplies bugs and fixes without the user being aware. The updates take place every five hours, your company’s firewall allowing (to check the update has made it to your system, click the wrench icon on the upper right of Chrome’s interface, then select About Google Chrome. The version number shold read 0.2.149.29).

"149.29 is a security update and we released it as fast as we could," says Mark Larson, Google Chrome program manager, in a public mailing list post to Chrome users . "We would've liked more time to prepare things, but some of the vulnerabilities were made public without giving us a chance to respond, update, and protect our users first. Thanks for being patient as we work out the kinks in all of our processes."