Not much time has passed since Google launched its Chrome browser version 79 with improved privacy and security features. However, it seems that the new browser is buggy with some devices. Google have now patched the bug that caused Chrome 79 on Android to lose data.
Vulnerability In Google Chrome 79 For Android
Reportedly, the latest Google Chrome 79 on Android devices is causing data loss for some users
As revealed, Google Chrome 79 on Android specifically affected applications running on top of the WebView component. Regarding the bug, ZDNet states,
User data generated by APIs like AppCache, File System, localStorage, IndexedDB, Service Workers, and WebSQL was left in the old location when users updated from Chrome 78 to Chrome 79, and was never moved into the new directory.
While the developers admitted the bug was due to a new directory saving location, however it seemed as if the data was gone altogether.
Consequently, the bug affected the apps, making users face resets, data loss, and account lockouts. This coerced many users to bombard the app with bad reviews.
Many app developers complained to Google that they were being review-bombed with one-star ratings because of borked Chrome update, even if it was not their fault.
Google Rolling Out A Fix
Since receiving repeated complaints regarding the bug, Google eventually stopped rolling out Chrome 79 for Android users. Consequently, the update only reached 15% of users before Google halted the roll-out.
Now, Google has patched the bug with Chrome 79.0.3945.93 for Android. As clarified in their blog post, the lost data will now be visible again with this update.
Resolves an issue in WebView where some users’ app data was not visible within those apps. The app data was not lost and will be made visible in apps with this update.
Users now need not worry about the issues, and should simply update to the latest version.
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