Published on: September 15, 2024
Google this week announced a series of new security updates aimed at enhancing the protection and control of personal data during web browsing.
Andrew Kamau, a Chrome product manager at Google, announced that the latest version of the web browser includes an enhanced Safety Check feature, which is designed to detect malicious downloads, compromised passwords, unsupported extensions, and other potential threats.
The updated Safety Check feature will now automatically run in the background to scan for a broader range of security risks. More importantly, it’ll be able to revoke permissions from sites you no longer visit, alert you to potentially unwanted website notifications, and notify you of any security or privacy concerns requiring your attention. Plus, it’ll keep you informed of any actions it takes, ensuring you are always aware of changes made.
Additionally, Safety Check will help protect users from abusive notifications by automatically revoking permissions from sites flagged as deceptive by Google’s Safe Browsing service. On Chrome for computers, Safety Check will also notify users of potentially risky extensions and direct them to the extensions page to review and remove them if necessary.
Chrome is introducing a new “Unsubscribe” button, too, in the notifications drawer on Pixel phones, with plans to expand to other Android devices soon. This feature will allow users to quickly disable notifications from specific sites.
Lastly, Chrome on Android devices and computers will give users the option to grant 1-time permissions to specific websites. This means you’ll be able to temporarily give access to features like the camera or microphone, and these permissions will be automatically revoked once the site is closed.
Kamau didn’t say whether these new features will be automatically available to all Chrome users or if a browser update is required. However, updating to the latest version is generally a good idea to ensure access to the newest security updates and bug fixes.