Chrome 151 August security update: what the 7 fixes mean.
Google's August 20, 2026 Stable Channel update lists seven security fixes for Chrome 151, including one critical vulnerability and several high-severity issues.
Which Chrome versions received the update?
Google's Chrome Releases post says the Stable channel was updated to 151.0.7922.173/.174 for Windows and Mac and 151.0.7922.173 for Linux, with rollout continuing over the following days and weeks.
What security issues were listed?
The release notes list seven fixes. The highest-rated item is CVE-2026-76017, a critical use-after-free issue in Chromoting. Google also lists high-severity issues involving privilege elevation in Import, incorrect authorization in Workers, a race condition in V8, a use-after-free issue in DOM, a Network buffer overflow, and improper resource control in Linux Toolkit Theming.
Does a listed vulnerability mean it is being actively exploited?
Not necessarily. A security advisory tells you a flaw exists and has been fixed; it does not by itself prove that criminals are actively exploiting it in the wild. Google's release note does not state on that page that these seven issues were being actively exploited. The practical response is still the same: install the stable update when Chrome offers it.
What should Chrome users do?
- Open Chrome's update screen. Use the menu, then Help → About Google Chrome.
- Allow the available update to finish. Rollouts can vary, so the exact build offered to you may depend on platform and release timing.
- Relaunch Chrome. A downloaded browser update normally needs a restart before the new build is active.
- Recheck the About page. Confirm Chrome reports that it is up to date rather than forcing a version number from a news article.
Why browser updates deserve priority
Browsers process untrusted websites, scripts, media, graphics and downloads every day. That makes them a high-value application to keep patched. An update from the browser vendor is generally more useful than installing an unknown third-party “security booster” that promises to patch the browser from outside.
Android users
Google also released Chrome 151.0.7922.173 for Android on August 20 and said Android releases contain the same security fixes as the corresponding desktop release unless otherwise noted. Availability through Google Play can take time during a staged rollout.
Related browser-security reading
See NexusNova's Firefox 154 security update guide, QR-code phishing guide, and AI-agent browser security explainer.