Quick ways to make Chrome safer to use
Google Chrome’s 2 billion users have been hit by a new threat—a massive spyware operation that secretly attacked via 32 million downloads of malicious extensions. PHOTO: Anadolu Agency
Chrome is one of the most commonly used internet browsers today and with its growing popularity, the browser is also more prone to security-related issues due to third-party integrations.
So, to ensure a safer online browsing experience, here are some ways to protect your data:
1. Enhanced Protection
Chrome itself has different inbuilt options to ensure safety for its users. In the Safe Browsing category, there is an option for Enhanced Protection. With the help of this feature, users are made aware of dangerous events before they happen. It also lets you know if passwords are exposed in a data breach. It sends URLs to Safe Browsing to check them and temporarily links this data to your Google Account, eventually protecting you across all Google apps.
2. Regular Chrome Updates
Google Chrome offers regular updates to protect the browser from any threats and ensure the latest improvements are incorporated. These updates usually come after every two weeks. When the update is available, Chrome downloads it immediately and applies it when the browser is reponed. If you have not closed the browser in a while, there is a pending update for you which will be indicated in the upper right corner of the window.
3. Site Permissions
Websites can access your location, camera, and microphone. To control who has access and who doesn't, change the Site Permissions as per your choice from the Privacy and Security menu.
4. Opt for 2-step verification
To add an extra step of protecting the data, you can add two-factor authentication. This process will require verification from your phone when logging in for the first time. Hence, if your password is exposed to an attacker, they will not be able to log in as they won't have the phone to carry on with the 2-step verification.