One can never be too careful in the internet age, where personal details such as phone numbers, home address, and even bank account numbers can be obtained by hackers if security measures are handled poorly. Keeping up with their promise of protecting user passwords, Google is in the midst of adding new features to Chrome that will aid users from online identity and information theft.
Among the new features that will be rolled out includes a notification that alerts users if their username and password were compromised in a data breach. The browser will also suggest to change any reused passwords on different websites or services to lower the chances of predictability. These features were initially introduced as a Chrome extension by Google back in February, but will now be embedded directly into Google Accounts in the upcoming update. Moreover, Google says that the new features will work with all saved passwords that the user has stored in Chrome’s password manager.
While Chrome already features an ability to warn users that they might be browsing an untrusted website that could steal their information, Google states that they’re beefing up their browser’s security by adding real-time phishing protection. This new feature is built on the company’s Safe Browsing database which records possible threats of phishing websites, malware, and unwanted software.
Google is also reworking Chrome’s sign-in indicator which will notify users if they’re about to save their login on a shared computer or on a different profile. The indicator will be relocated to the right side of the address bar, and will also show the name of the person associated with the active account that is being accessed. The company also mentioned that switching between profiles will be easier with the reworked interface as well.
According to Google, Chrome’s new features is expected to arrive in the next few weeks. The extra security measures are definitely quality-of-life improvements for users, but we strongly advise our readers to always be vigilant in terms of online personal security regardless.
(Source: Google.)
