The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has alerted the public to multiple security vulnerabilities recently discovered in the widely-used Google Chrome browser.
Announced on the NDPC’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, the commission warned that the most severe of these flaws could allow hackers to execute arbitrary code on users’ devices potentially giving attackers full control over affected systems.
“Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Google Chrome. The most severe of these could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on a user’s system,” the NDPC stated.
The NDPC explained that if exploited, these vulnerabilities might enable attackers to:
- Install malicious programs on users’ devices,
- View, alter, or delete sensitive personal data,
- Create new user accounts with full administrative privileges.
To mitigate these risks, the NDPC advised all Google Chrome users to:
- Immediately apply the latest updates to their browsers,
- Operate their devices with standard user rights rather than administrative privileges,
- Exercise heightened caution when clicking suspicious links, opening unsolicited attachments, or visiting untrusted websites.
Context: Data Privacy Enforcement in Nigeria
This advisory follows Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to enforce data protection and privacy laws. In July 2024, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) fined Meta a record $220 million for alleged privacy violations related to consumer data on Facebook and WhatsApp.
The fine resulted from a 38-month joint investigation conducted with the NDPC into Meta’s data handling practices, highlighting Nigeria’s commitment to safeguarding users’ personal information in the digital age.
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