Chrome, Safari and other browsers vulnerable to 0.0.0.0 Day vulnerability — what you need to know

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This critical vulnerability laid dormant for 18 years but can now be used by hackers in their attacks

Google Chrome logo on laptop
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

It’s not every day that we come across a vulnerability that’s almost two decades old but cybersecurity researchers have discovered a new zero-day flaw that impacts all major browsers.

As reported by The Hacker News, the Israeli app security firm Oligo found what it’s calling a “0.0.0.0 Day” that can be exploited by hackers to access sensitive services running on local devices. The most surprising thing about this critical vulnerability though is that it has laid dormant in popular browsers for 18 years.

How to stay safe from browser-based attacks 

A close up of a secure website on an internet browser

(Image credit: Getty Images)

After discovering this vulnerability back in April, Oligo quickly reached out to the companies behind all of the major browsers so that they could implement a fix.

Instead of releasing a security update, Google, Apple, Mozilla and others plan to block the IP address 0.0.0.0 going forward. With the release of Chromium 128 last month, Chrome is already blocking access to 0.0.0.0 but Google’s full fix for this issue won’t be completed for all users until Chrome 133 is released. Meanwhile, Apple has already made changes to the browser engine WebKit which is used by Safari to block access to 0.0.0.0 and Mozilla has also blocked the IP address in Firefox.

When it comes to protecting yourself from other browser-based attacks, the first and most important thing you can do is to keep your browser up to date. I know this may get annoying given how frequently Google releases new updates for Chrome but they only take a minute or so to install and all of your current tabs will be reopened once an update is complete.

Since your browser can be attacked by hackers to infect your computer with malware, you should also consider using the best antivirus software on your Windows PC and the best Mac antivirus software on your Apple computer. Both Windows and macOS ship with built-in antivirus software but paid options provide you with even greater protection along with some useful extras like a VPN or a password manager.

New vulnerabilities like the one described above are discovered and subsequently patched every day which is why you want to stay on top of updates and not let them pile up if you want to stay safe from hackers.

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Anthony Spadafora
Anthony Spadafora
Managing Editor Security and Home Office

Anthony Spadafora is the managing editor for security and home office furniture at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches to password managers and the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. He also reviews standing desks, office chairs and other home office accessories with a penchant for building desk setups. Before joining the team, Anthony wrote for ITProPortal while living in Korea and later for TechRadar Pro after moving back to the US. Based in Houston, Texas, when he’s not writing Anthony can be found tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.