Google Chrome fixes antivirus 'file locking' bug on Windows 10

silversurfer

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Google Chrome has fixed a bug that enabled antivirus programs on Windows 10 to lock newly created files.

The patching of the bug means antivirus programs running on Windows would no longer block new files generated by the Chrome web browser, such as bookmarks.

As a safety precaution, oftentimes antivirus programs temporarily lock newly generated files on a system until these can be scanned and ruled out for malicious activity.

On Windows 10 machines, in particular, this created issues for the Google Chrome web browser when it would use `ImportantFileWriter` to output certain files.

"Anti-virus programs and other scanners may briefly lock new files which can lead to frequent problems with saving bookmarks and other files that use the ImportantFileWriter," explained Bruce Dawson, a Google engineer. [...]
Since the fix has been merged into the repository as of December 30, 2020, it is expected the next version of Google Chrome will come shipped with it.

Chrome users should keep an eye out for any upcoming releases and ensure they update their web browsers promptly.
 
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