Google will add malicious download notifications to Chrome

By Konrad Krawczyk August 14, 2014

google will add malicious download notifications chrome — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Internet is full of pitfalls, including malicious pop-ups, email attachments, and downloads. Google knows this, and the tech giant is attempting to make Web surfing a little less stressful by adding notifications to Chrome that will tell users whenever it blocks a malicious download. Google made the announcement in this official blog post.

Related: Best free anti-malware software

Google says that starting sometime next week, users of the firm’s Chrome browser should see pop-ups that warn them whenever something on the Internet attempts to put something on your computer that attempts to change your browser settings or homepage without your approval.

Related: Windows 9 Threshold is coming: Here are the latest rumors, leaks, and more

The notifications will read like this, for example: “Virus.exe may harm your browsing experience, so Chrome has blocked it.”

“You should be able to use the web safely, without fear that malware could take control of your computer, or that you could be tricked into giving up personal information in a phishing scam,” Google’s Moheeb Abu Rajab, Staff Engineer of Google Security security says.

However, if you so choose, you’ll be able to dismiss the notification, and download the item in question anyway.

This is an expansion of Google’s Safe Browsing system, which aims to protect Web surfers from malicious sites. It’s unclear if this new feature of Safe Browsing will be available for use with other browsers once it’s released.

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Konrad Krawczyk

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…

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