Google Chrome 79 Is Out With Password Protection And Other Safety Measures

Is your password secure enough to bypass any breaches?

Data safety has always been quite a pretty big deal in the online world, especially now that people are very concerned with how their personal information is used. Time and time again, news about data breaching, online hacks, phishing activities breaks online.

And have you ever noticed how when you sign up for an account online, you will be asked to type in a password and there is an indicator whether your password is strong enough or not? Well, how has it worked out for you?

But luckily, Google is on the lookout for everyone’s safety. The tech company has just introduced a “Password Checkup” feature which will be fully integrated into the desktop and mobile versions of Chrome 79.

Google Chrome 79 Password Protection feature

In the past, there have already been many data leaks that affected not only small-time users but also the big names in their respective fields. Take for example the Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal. Although, this was a pretty controlled case because the company knew exactly who received and what their intentions were with the data.

But what if it isn’t the case? What if this happens to you and all your information, including your address, where you work, and bank account details?

But first, let us first understand how hackers find their way into the users’ information and exploit them to their advantage. Are you ready to know more?

In most cases, there’s no way to tell that the data you have input on a website goes straight directly to the site’s database and stays there, or it goes through an intermediate point.

Initially, the company launched password protection with breach alerts. Google then integrated this Password Protection with users’ Google accounts. Thankfully, Google has been working hard to provide improved security features to its Chrome users.

Now, the tech giant has rolled out the latest version of the Chrome browser that is packed with more privacy features. With the new Chrome 79, Google provides users with enhanced password protection and anti-phishing features.

Chrome 79: Enhanced password protection and anti-phishing features

In a recent blog post, the tech company has disclosed its plans to provide better password protection with the release of Chrome 79. And that is not all, Google will even warn users about whether their passwords have suffered a breach as they browse.

In a separate post, Google also detailed how the feature will work. In summary, Google will store breached usernames and passwords in hashed and encrypter forms, with a private key. So, every time a user would enter his/her login credentials to any website, the browser will send the hashed and encrypted copy to Google servers.

And if ever there is a match, the browser will then alert the user of a possible breach, urging them to change their password. Additionally, Google says that due to encryption, the users’ credentials will remain hidden, even from Google.

And when it comes to detection of breached credentials, Google explained that they use a private set intersection with a blinding technique. Then, this technique applies several layers of encryption and allows matching encrypted credentials with those that were already stored with Google in encrypted forms.

Phishing Protection and Enhanced Predictive

Google has always warned its users of phishing and malicious websites. But do you know what the problem is? Some sites still manage to escape their detection.

And here’s the good news:

Google Chrome 79 brings real-time phishing protection. What this does is it will match the users’ desired URLs with those listed on Google’s safe list in real-time. And if there is no match, the browser will alert the users about the dangerous sites. The company assumes this will give users 30% greater protection against phishing and deceptive websites.

Furthermore, the tech company also introduced enhanced predictive protection. The feature was already available for users who synced history, it will now also work for users who do not sync.

What this feature does is it will detect whenever a user enters the protected passwords to another site. These passwords are those stored with Google Password Manager or the Google Account password. It will match the site’s URL with the safe list and will warn the user once a phishing attempt has been detected.

And get this:

Google believes that thanks to this phishing protection feature, hundreds of millions more people will be secured. Bottom line, us users should still be vigilant despite Google’s added protection for us.