Security News

Mulled Chrome API shines light on long-neglected privacy gap: Sites can snoop on your find-in-page searches
2020-05-27 05:04

"In particular, the page can know which section of text was found using find-in-page, fragment navigation, and scroll-to-text navigation," the documentation says, adding that developers could also glean information about what the user navigated to - via scroll-to-text navigation, or typed into a find-in-page search box - based on which section of the page receives an event. The privacy risk of beforematch is not that of key logging - recording exactly what a web page user typed into a search dialog.

Chrome 83 adds DNS-over-HTTPS support and privacy tweaks
2020-05-21 11:20

After delays to Chrome version 81 in March, and the scrapping of version 82 a month later, this week sees the early arrival of Chrome 83 with a longer list of new security features than originally planned. First, it's not turned on by default, and might not even be visible under Settings > Privacy and security > Advanced.

Chrome 83 Brings Enhanced Safe Browsing, New Privacy and Security Controls
2020-05-21 04:09

Google this week released Chrome 83 to the stable channel with patches for a total of 38 vulnerabilities, with improved Safe Browsing protection, and updated privacy and security controls. The newly introduced Enhanced Safe Browsing protection in Chrome is meant to provide users with a more advanced level of security while browsing the web, by increasing protection from dangerous websites and downloads.

Chrome 83: Enhanced Safe Browsing, Secure DNS, a Safety Check
2020-05-20 13:03

Google has released version 83 of it's popular Chrome web browser, which includes new security and privacy features and fixes for security issues. The enhanced Safe Browsing mode will allow users to get a more personalized protection against malicious sites.

More crypto-stealing Chrome extensions swatted by Google
2020-05-08 10:15

Google deleted 49 malicious Chrome extensions from the Chrome Web Store in mid-April after Harry Denley, director of security at MyCrypto, found them phishing cryptocurrency users. The extensions impersonate Chrome extensions for legitimate cryptocurrency wallets, but when installed they pilfer the users' private keys and other secrets used to access digital wallets so that their authors can steal victims' funds.

Fake crypto-wallet extensions appear in Chrome Web Store once again, siphoning off victims' passwords
2020-05-06 20:55

Three weeks after Google removed 49 Chrome extensions from its browser's software store for stealing crypto-wallet credentials, 11 more password-swiping add-ons have been spotted - and some are still available to download. The dodgy add-ons masquerade as legit crypto-wallet extensions, and invite people to type in their credentials to access their digital money, but are totally unofficial, and designed to siphon off those login details to crooks. Denley provided The Register with a list of extension identifiers, previously reported to Google, and we were able to find some still available in the Chrome Web Store at time of writing.

Google fights spammy extensions with new Chrome Web Store policy
2020-05-01 10:40

Developers use a number of ways to breed extensions like a bunch of spam bunnies in Google's Chrome Web Store, which is the biggest extension catalog online. User Ratings, Reviews, and Installs: Developers are forbidden from manipulating their extensions' placement in the Chrome Web Store by doing things like cooking up bogus downloads, reviews or ratings.

Google announces cull of low-quality, misleading Chrome extensions
2020-04-30 13:36

With Google Chrome being by far the most widely used web browser, Google must constantly tweak protections, rules and policies to keep malicious, unhelpful and otherwise potentially unwanted extensions out of the Chrome Web Store. The latest change of that kind has been announced for August 27th 2020, when Google plans to boot from the CWS "Low-quality and misleading" Chrome extensions.

Google Steps Up Fight on Spam in Chrome Web Store
2020-04-30 11:22

Google this week announced a new set of rules for its Chrome Web Store, meant to ensure that developers don't spam users with extensions that have similar functionality. The Chrome Web Store has been available since 2011, offering a total of more than 200.000 browser extensions that allow users to easily customize their browsing experience in Chrome.

S2 Ep36: Rogue Chrome extensions, Signal fears and Darth Vader – Naked Security podcast
2020-04-23 08:57

We discuss the biggest cybersecurity news stories of the week. New podcast episode out now!