Number: IRCNE2015072573
Date: 2015/07/19
According to “zdnet”, Google said Thursday it will expand this feature, dubbed Safe Browsing, which aims to prevent installs of "unwanted software." The feature works by checking against a Google database of affected links and sites to determine if a page is safe.
The feature is baked into Chrome, but also works in other browsers across Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Although the feature already prevents phishing and malware installs, soon it will also work to reduce installs of "piggybacked" software, adware and browser toolbars, and apps that spy on a user's internet browsing traffic or send information back to a server without consent.
"Unwanted software is being distributed on web sites via a variety of sources, including ad injectors as well as ad networks lacking strict quality guidelines," said Google's Moheeb Abu Rajab and Stephan Somogy in a blog post. "In many cases, Safe Browsing within your browser is your last line of defense."
The search giant turned browser maker also published an unwanted software policy in order to help users (and developers) understand what kinds of software will be caught in the expanded safety net.
"Software that violates these principles is potentially harmful to the user experience, and we will take steps to protect users from it," the policy says.
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