Google 'Safe Browsing' alerts become more prominent; aims to stop unwanted software

Google is taking necessary steps to ensure that Chrome users see more full page red warnings about unwanted software which hasn’t been previously seen. The company has announced that it has improved its detection of unwanted software on the web and these alerts will now become more common in a user’s browsing experience. According to the company’s blog post, Moheeb Abu Rajab and Stephan Somogyi from Google’s Safe Browsing Team said that, “unwanted software is being distributed on web sites via a variety of sources, including ad injectors and ad networks lacking strict quality guidelines. In many cases, Safe Browsing within your browser is your last line of defense.” In the next few weeks, these detection improvements will become more noticeable in Chrome. Users will see more warnings about unwanted software than ever before, added the blog. This protection will work across browsers such as Firefox and Safari as well as platforms such as Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Android. Google’s Safe Browsing has aimed to protect users from phishing and malware since 2006 and from unwanted software since 2014. According to a previous report, Google had rolled out new **malware warnings** in March this year. The warning was sent out to users so that they are aware that the site they are about view might attempt to trick them into installing programs that could affect their browsing experience. Google had also introduced a new framework to its search engine that helps it track misleading sites and reduce the likelihood of being visible in search results. The company said it has also made attempts to disable Google ads that lead to such sites. It will label sites which are known for making attempts to con people into installing malicious software in its search results. After that, it will be up to the user to decide whether to visit the website. An earlier report also pointed out that the Indian government was planning to launch an **Internet safety programme with Google** in an effort to create greater cyber-threat awareness. MyGov, the government’s online platform which seeks suggestions from people on different issues had hosted its first round table discussion on the issue earlier this week.