Google recently issued an apology after a bug caused a significant number of Windows users to experience issues with finding or saving their passwords. The problem began on July 24 and lasted for about 18 hours until it was resolved on July 25. This issue was attributed to a change in product behavior without the proper feature guard in place, a familiar excuse for those affected by the CrowdStrike disruption earlier this month.
The bug affected Chrome web browser users worldwide, preventing them from accessing passwords saved using the Chrome password manager. Additionally, newly saved passwords became invisible to those impacted by the bug. Google has since fixed the problem, specifying that it only affected the M127 version of the Chrome Browser on Windows.
While the exact number of users affected by the disappearing passwords is unknown, considering the vast number of Chrome users globally (over 3 billion) with a majority on Windows, an estimated figure can be calculated. Google stated that 25% of users received the configuration change, which translates to around 750 million users. Of these, approximately 2% experienced the password manager issue, totaling around 15 million users.
Initially, Google provided a temporary workaround that involved launching the Chrome browser with a command line flag. However, the full fix has now been implemented, requiring users to simply restart their Chrome browser. Google expressed gratitude for users’ patience and apologized for any inconvenience caused by the service disruption. Users who continue to experience issues beyond the explanation provided are encouraged to contact Google Workspace Support.
It’s worth noting that Chrome version 127 was released to address 24 security issues, but the password manager problem was not among them. As a general security precaution, it is advisable to use a dedicated password manager application rather than relying solely on a browser-based solution. While browser convenience is undeniable, events like this highlight the risks of having all passwords in one place when issues arise.
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