Make sure your Firefox browser is updated now to patch a critical flaw

The latest update to Firefox comes with a patch to a critical vulnerability that's being abused by hackers, says Mozilla, the browser's maker. The flaw could let attackers take over your system, according to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

That's about as serious as a vulnerability can get. The good news is that Mozilla, which prides itself on protecting user privacy, released the patch Wednesday. Even better: The company has automatic updates on by default.

Speedy updates are essential to stopping flaws from causing widespread damage, and cybersecurity experts say keeping software up to date is one of the most important things people can do to protect themselves from hackers. "On Tuesday, January 7, 2020, Chinese security firm Qihoo 360 reported a vulnerability that was used as part of targeted attacks on a local network," a Mozilla spokesperson said in a statement. "We started shipping Firefox updates to address this security vulnerability the next morning." Qihoo 360 couldn't immediately be reached for comment.