Google introduces new features in Chrome to stop websites from injecting malware

Google announced three major changes to Chrome that will improve the browser’s malware detection and removal capabilities. These new changes will block websites that sneakily redirect users to unintended URLs without the user’s consent.

The three features that are introduced in Chrome:

1. The most important feature will be introduced in Chrome 64 that will block URL redirection triggered by a script written inside iframes(HTML component used for generating pop-ups) embedded in a webpage. Instead, Google will ask the user if they want to be redirected to a new page.

2. Most of the users install plugins such as ad blocker. These kinds of plugin help to block the pop-ups that are generated by visiting a website. However, hackers bypass these ad blockers simply by opening the advertisement in a completely new tab. Chrome 65 will block the redirect and will further show an alert to the users.

3. The third feature that is launched is named as the Abusive Experiences Report. In this feature, Google will provide blacklisted sites that are suspected to use misleading UI elements such as play button which on clicking will redirect the user to a new webpage without their consent.

The website owners who have registered their site with Google will receive a warning about the misleading UI elements on their website and have them to fix it. If the website owner fails to fix these issues then from January 2018 these elements will get blocked via Chrome’s built-in pop-up blocker.

Comments by Ankush Johar, Director & Partner at Infosec Ventures, a venture fund investing in Cyber Security Innovations.

It is a commendable step taken by Google which will prevent various malicious websites from infecting the system but as thrust upon as this is, website owners will now be in great pressure of losing reputation in case a hacker manages to infect their website and Google block their website to protect its users. On the other hand, consumers cannot take this as an absolute form of security. Hackers will always fiddle around and find ways to trick you and assuming Chrome will protect you from every attack will only make things easier for hackers.

Your security is in your own hands, it is advised that people should follow these guidelines which will protect them from online scams:

• Never click on unknown links, even if it seems to be coming from a known person. You can test the authenticity of the link by hovering your mouse over the link. This will display the real address to which the link is redirecting. If it is not the general link you visit, do not click it.

• Use a proper, regularly updated Antivirus.

• Never download any kind of pirated software as it is likely to contain malware.

• Keep your Operating System updated.

• Never connect to Unknown Wi-Fi network. While on a public network avoid accessing any kind of confidential information like bank accounts or trusting random links as they can redirect you to malware.