Portable software provides a specific kind of freedom: the ability to run your preferred browser, with your specific configuration, directly from a USB drive or local folder without a standard installation. While Google Chrome updates automatically on most systems, specific older versions like remain highly sought after by developers, system administrators, and tech enthusiasts.

: Because the browser carries its engine and its user profile together, it runs identically whether plugged into a Windows 10 desktop, a corporate workstation, or a Windows 11 laptop. Security Considerations for Legacy Browsers

But Chrome 112.0.5615.87? That was from the Before Time.

Unlike the standard desktop version, the Google Chrome Portable version is packaged so it can be carried on a USB flash drive, cloud drive, or external hard drive. It is developed primarily by PortableApps.com , a community that focuses on making software "portable" by ensuring it doesn't leave traces like registry entries on the host machine. Release Date: April 12, 2023.

Google releases security patches roughly every two weeks. As of today, Chrome is likely on version 120+ (or 130+ depending on the current date). This means version 112.0.5615.87 contains that hackers actively exploit.

Below is an essay discussing the relevance, benefits, and significant risks of using this specific legacy version of Google Chrome Portable.

It was just portable .

An Intel Pentium 4 processor or later that is SSE3 capable

Google Chrome release 112.x is an outdated branch. Google currently supports newer stable channels (e.g., 118.x and above as of late 2023). The use of version 112.0.5615.87 entails the following risks:

Pick one and I’ll proceed.

Just days after the release of Chrome 112.0.5615.87, Google released a critical security update to on April 14, 2023, to fix a high-severity zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2023-2033). This type confusion vulnerability in V8 was already being actively exploited in the wild before the patch was available. Successful exploitation could lead to memory corruption, unexpected program behavior, or browser crashes.