Since the release of Windows 10 Insider build 10525, users of the 64-bit version of the Chrome browser have had a less than desirable time, to put it nicely. A significant bug cropped up in the Chrome browser as it relates to Windows 10 build 10525. The bug causes the 64-bit version of the browser to crash almost immediately upon opening it.
[pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]As a Windows Insider, there is a certain tolerance for items to break, hang or work in less than optimal conditions[/pullquote]
As a Windows Insider, there is a certain tolerance for items to break, hang or work in less than optimal conditions, as the program is designed for ‘early use’ rather than polished use. However, many Windows Insiders use Chrome and a bug that inhibits basic web browsing has been unacceptable for some.
Fortunately, the Chrome team recently issued a fix for the bug. A member of the Chrome team reached out with comments specifying the issue as well as informing Chrome users about development regarding future issues.
I’m going to closing this out for comments, since the specific issue here is fixed, and there will be no future work on this bug. For the small number of people asking why Chrome checks signatures on the 64-bit sys call stubs, it’s because doing so significantly mitigates issues from third-party software hooking inside Chrome’s sandboxed processes. Whereas on 32-bit Windows we’re forced to use much more permissive hooking, and as a result we see far more issues due to malfunctioning third-party software such as AV or other utilities that: break ASLR, leak privileged objects, or just introduce general instability that leads to very high crash rates inside our sandboxed processes.
We will continue to track the impact of our 64-bit sys call stub validation, and if we see significant conflicts in the future, we can revisit our decision. But for now, our crash report data supports the position that the strict validation is providing a real end-user benefit in terms of stability and security.
We recently posted some background on the issue with the Windows 10 and the 64-bit Chrome bug. For its part, the bug looks to be a Chrome development issue and less a Windows 10 issues. The Chrome team has cautioned 64-bit users about participating in the Windows 10 Insider Fast Ring program, as it may result in temporary breakage of the browser.
To apply the fix, visit the Chrome Beta Channel.
