**Google Apologizes After Passwords Vanish for 15 Million Windows Users**
Google has issued an apology after a bug caused a significant number of Windows users to lose access to their saved passwords. The problem, which began on July 24 and continued for nearly 18 hours before being resolved on July 25, was attributed to “a change in product behavior without proper feature guard.” This incident comes on the heels of a similar issue faced by CrowdStrike earlier this month.
The vanishing password problem affected users of the Chrome web browser worldwide, leaving them unable to retrieve any passwords saved using the Chrome password manager. Newly saved passwords were also invisible to the impacted users. Google confirmed that the issue was specific to the M127 version of Chrome Browser on the Windows platform and has since been fixed.
**Impact and Scale of the Issue**
While the exact number of affected users is challenging to determine, Google’s data suggests a significant impact. With over 3 billion Chrome web browser users, and Windows users constituting the majority, it is estimated that 25% of the user base experienced the configuration change, amounting to approximately 750 million users. Of these, around 2% were affected by the password manager issue, translating to roughly 15 million users losing access to their passwords.
**Resolution and Response**
Google provided an interim workaround that required users to launch Chrome with a command line flag, which was not user-friendly. Fortunately, the complete fix has been rolled out, and users only need to restart their Chrome browser to restore functionality. Google has apologized for the inconvenience caused by the service disruption and advised any users experiencing additional issues to contact Google Workspace Support.
This incident underscores the importance of thorough testing and proper feature guards in software updates to prevent such widespread disruptions. Google’s quick response and transparency have been crucial in addressing the problem and restoring user trust.
