Google Chrome's newest update makes it a lot better at identifying malicious downloads

Key Takeaways

•     Enhanced safe browsing in Chrome now sends suspicious files for a deep scan, improving threat detection by 50 times.

•     Password-protected files will now prompt for a password during download, preventing malware from bypassing virus checks.

•     Google Chrome's latest update enhances security tools to protect users from malicious actors exploiting the browser.

As malware distribution tactics evolve, companies that deal in online services have to adapt to prevent malicious actors from exploiting their users. Previously, Google had the idea to remove cookies from its Chrome browser to prevent bad actors from exploiting them and gaining access to other people's systems. However, after some pushback, Google eventually dropped the idea and went back to the drawing board. Now, it has released a new system that makes the browser a lot better at detecting threats.

Chrome's suspicious file warnings get a lot better in the newest update

In a press release given to The Verge, Google Chrome has gotten a few more security tools in its latest update to the main branch. For one, if you enabled "Enhanced safe browsing," Chrome will begin sending off suspicious files for a deep scan to double-check if there's anything nasty in there. Now, it seems that all files will receive this treatment, as the company states that malicious files that undergo a deep scan are 50 times more likely to be detected than regular ones.

Second, Chrome is changing how password-protected files are handled during the download phase. Malware distributors used password-protected files as a sneaky way to dodge Chrome's virus checking because the browser couldn't peek inside the encrypted file during the download process. This gave the malicious file a free ticket to land on the victim's PC, after which the user would enter the password, decrypt the file, and unleash the Pandora's Box lurking within. Now, Chrome will ask you for the password when you download an encrypted file, so it can crack open the encryption and check if anything nasty is hidden.

These new features are available on the current Chrome branch, so you should see it appear sometime in the near future.

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