{"id":7648,"date":"2015-02-26T12:30:39","date_gmt":"2015-02-26T17:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.nccomputertech.com\/?p=7648"},"modified":"2015-02-26T12:30:39","modified_gmt":"2015-02-26T17:30:39","slug":"chrome-security-update-warns-against-sneaky-software-downloads-as-well-as-malware","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2015\/02\/26\/chrome-security-update-warns-against-sneaky-software-downloads-as-well-as-malware\/","title":{"rendered":"Chrome security update warns against sneaky software downloads as well as malware"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Google is adding a new warning to Chrome in its continuing efforts to protect users from harmful actors on the web. The new red flag for Google\u2019s browser warns you when you\u2019re about to visit a site that encourages users to download harmful and unwanted software.<\/p>\n

Chrome isn\u2019t the only site sending out warnings. Other browsers, such as Firefox, also warn about potentially harmful sites.<\/p>\n

Google\u2019s definition of unwanted programs isn\u2019t just about malware, but also tricky programs that try to sneak onto your system. The search giant defines unwanted software as anything with dishonest behavior, such as piggybacking on the installation of another program, apps that are difficult to remove, and software that fails to live up to its advertised functionality. Even software that changes your homepage\u2014a not uncommon occurrence\u2014can qualify as unwanted software from Google\u2019s point of view.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Chrome\u2019s new harmful programs warning<\/p>\n

The impact on you at home: Chrome users with the latest updates should start seeing the warnings pop up in Chrome when navigating to a site with harmful software downloads. The new pop-up is similar to warnings you get for sites that are malicious: a large red screen that tells you the site you\u2019re about to visit might try and trick you into installing unwanted software. Users then have the choice to get more details (and presumably carry on aware of the risks) or return \u201cto safety\u201d at the Google homepage.<\/p>\n

More than just browsers<\/p>\n

In addition to the changes to Chrome, Google is also tackling unwanted software with other parts of its business. Google is working to filter deceptive sites from its search results. The company is also disabling ads that lead to sites offering unwanted software.<\/p>\n

That last bit is particularly important, because advertising can often be a weak spot for malware delivery or leading people to questionable sites. In January, a \u201dmalvertising\u201d attack using Google\u2019s AdSense program automatically redirected users to bogus websites selling anti-aging and supposed \u201cbrain-enhancing\u201d products.<\/p>\n

The new Chrome security warnings join other security features, such as warnings about potentially harmful programs you\u2019re about to download and sites known to deliver malware.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

via Chrome security update warns against sneaky software downloads as well as malware | PCWorld<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Google is adding a new warning to Chrome in its continuing efforts to protect users from harmful actors on the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7,9],"tags":[190,655],"class_list":["post-7648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-security","category-software","tag-chrome","tag-malware"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/papNkV-1Zm","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6142,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/08\/06\/department-of-homeland-security-warns-retailers-of-backoff-pos-malware-techspot\/","url_meta":{"origin":7648,"position":0},"title":"Department of Homeland Security warns retailers of ‘Backoff’ POS malware – TechSpot","author":"NCCT","date":"August 6, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The Department of Homeland Security yesterday issued an alert about a point-of-sale malware that was used in a string of recent attacks by cyber criminals. Dubbed Backoff, the malware has been witnessed on at least three separate forensic investigations since late 2013 and continues to operate today. According to US-CERT,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Security"","block_context":{"text":"Security","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/security\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7946,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2015\/04\/03\/five-percent-of-google-users-have-ad-injectors-installed\/","url_meta":{"origin":7648,"position":1},"title":"Five percent of Google users have ad injectors installed","author":"NCCT","date":"April 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Five percent of people that use Google\u2019s sites and services have at least one ad injector installed on their device according to a recent study conducted by Google in collaboration with researchers from the University of California, Berkeley. Within that group, Google found that half had at least two injectors\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Software"","block_context":{"text":"Software","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/software\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7656,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2015\/02\/26\/the-harmful-code-recently-found-on-lenovo-machines-is-now-surfacing-in-other-apps\/","url_meta":{"origin":7648,"position":2},"title":"The harmful code recently found on Lenovo machines is now surfacing in other apps","author":"NCCT","date":"February 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"As we previously reported, Lenovo apparently pre-loaded a number of its machines with Superfish adware along with other malicious code. The appearance of the potentially harmful software was not only shocking to many, but also prompted researchers to look around to see if the adware (or similar code) made it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Security"","block_context":{"text":"Security","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/security\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5750,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/06\/11\/one-click-test-finds-gameover-zeus-infections-on-pcs\/","url_meta":{"origin":7648,"position":3},"title":"One-click test finds Gameover Zeus infections on PCs","author":"NCCT","date":"June 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Users can test by simply visiting a Web page if their computers have been infected with Gameover Zeus, a sophisticated online banking Trojan that law enforcement officers temporarily disrupted last week. The one-click test was developed by security researchers from antivirus vendor F-Secure and takes advantage of the malware\u2019s aggressive\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Security"","block_context":{"text":"Security","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/security\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6294,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/08\/27\/research-team-creates-undetectable-malware-bound-to-legitimate-software-downloads\/","url_meta":{"origin":7648,"position":4},"title":"Research team creates undetectable malware bound to legitimate software downloads","author":"NCCT","date":"August 27, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Most cyber attacks from your typical home hacker, come by way of techniques used 10 years ago or more like phishing scams, poor password management, and things of that nature. But now it seems as though a research team from Germany has developed on all new strain of malware. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Security"","block_context":{"text":"Security","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/security\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5989,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/07\/15\/us-secret-service-warns-of-keyloggers-on-public-hotel-computers\/","url_meta":{"origin":7648,"position":5},"title":"US Secret Service warns of keyloggers on public hotel computers","author":"NCCT","date":"July 15, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The US Secret Service has warned users of hotel business centers that public PCs may be targeted by hackers, with the intent on stealing personal and business information. An advisory posted by the service, in collaboration with the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) warned that the hospitality sector,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Networking"","block_context":{"text":"Networking","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/networking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/hotel-hero-620x379.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/hotel-hero-620x379.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/hotel-hero-620x379.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7648"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7648\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}