Google Apologizes After 15 Million Passwords Disappear Due to Chrome Bug

The major mishap prohibited millions of users from accessing or saving passwords

Following the detection of a bug in Chrome’s password manager that caused the disappearance of saved passwords for approximately 15 million users, Google issued a public apology.  The issue, which began on July 24 and persisted nearly 18 hours, affected the M127 version of Chrome on Windows and was caused by a “change in product behavior without proper feature guard.”

The major mishap prohibited millions of users from accessing or saving passwords, leading to widespread issues. Chrome’s user base, which extends to more than 3 million, increased the impact of the issue.  Google estimates that the bug affected about 25% of users, which translates to about 750 million users, and about 2% of users experienced serious issues with the password manager. In response, Google initially provided a technical fix integrating command-line flags but quickly introduced a more user-friendly permanent fix. Users are advised to restart their browsers to get back up and functionality, and those who continue to face issues are advised to contact Google Workspace Support. This incident highlights the risks involved in completely trusting browser-based password managers.

Google reaffirmed its commitment to improving its software reliability and promised to implement stringent testing processes to prevent future occurrences. Users are also recommended to back up passwords frequently, use additional password management tools, and remain updated about software updates for enhanced security.