In a post on its blog dedicated to security, Google explains that, currently, Chrome does the check using a list of suspicious websites that is stored on the user’s computer or mobile phone. It is updated at intervals of 30 to 60 minutes.
The problem is that this is no longer enough, as some phishing attacks use pages that stay live for less than 10 minutes, which is shorter than the update window. Also, not every device has the ability to keep downloading the new list every hour.
If they match the company’s updated list, the user receives an alert.
Protection will be enabled by default in Chrome
Chrome’s Safe Browsing offers two levels of protection, Standard and Enhanced (and of course, there’s also the ability to disable the feature). The new verification method will be part of Standard Protection.
Enhanced Protection already has real-time scanning, but it’s different. The tool uses real-time list checks and rankings using artificial intelligence. “We created [Enhanced Protection] to give users the choice to share more data in exchange for stronger security,” Google says.
The latest version of Chrome for desktop, Android, and iOS now has updated Standard Protection. To check if your browser is already set up with Standard Protection, go to “Settings,” “Privacy & Security” (in the sidebar), and click “Security.” If it is, no action is required to enable the new feature.
