Google Chrome: big security feature enables automatic security actions

Google is updating Safety Check and improving the handling of site notifications and website permissions. It is also giving Chrome control over certain security features.

Google is rolling out a new security feature update for its Chrome browser that is designed to improve user safety while using the web browser.

The details:

The security feature update is available for Google Chrome desktop and mobile.
Safety Check is getting an update and automatic response feature.
Support for one-time permissions.
Easier notification unsubscribing.

Good to known: Safety Check and Secure Browsing are two security features of the Chrome browser. Safe Browsing runs real-time checks to mainly protect users against phishing sites and malicious sites. Safety Check on the other hand checks Chrome settings and features for security.

Safety Check may take actions on its own now

Safety Check debuted in 2019 in Chrome as a way to check whether stored passwords have been compromised. Called Password Leak Detection initially, it grew over the years into a tool with much wider competence.

Google enabled automatic background checks in late 2023 for desktop versions of the browser. This allowed the tool to perform regular scans on its own, similarly to how most antivirus solutions work.

Tip: you can access Safety Check by loading chrome://settings/safetyCheck in the browser’s address bar. Alternatively, go to Menu > Settings > Privacy and security > Safety Check.

The current version of Safety Check in Chrome scans for a wide range of security issues:

Weak passwords stored in Chrome’s password manager.
Unsafe browser extensions.
Chrome’s version and status of updates.
The Safe Browsing status.
Notifications that may potentially be unwanted.
Granted site permissions that are not used.

All of these, up until now, reported issues to the Chrome user only. The updated version of Safety Check changes this.

Automatic Safety Checks. Source: Google

Google says it runs in the background now to take “more proactive steps”, including on mobile. This means that the security feature may act on its own from now on. Google mentions the removal of unused site permissions and the revoking of notification permissions “from sites Google Safe Browsing finds to be deceiving users into granting the permission”.

Google uses site engagement scores and the frequency of notifications to determine whether notifications shown to users are potentially unwanted.

While that may be beneficial to the majority of Chrome users, it may not sit well with experienced users who prefer to stay in control at all times.

One-Time website permissions

All Chrome users, on mobile and desktop, got a new option recently when it comes to granting websites permissions. Sites may ask for permissions for certain functionality. A basic example is an audio chat site that requests permission to access the microphone. Without granting that permission, you’d be unable to use the microphone on the site.

Google is enabling one-time website permissions in Chrome for Android and the desktop. This permission remains active for as long as you are active on the site. When you close the site’s tab, the permission is revoked automatically. This improves privacy, as you do not have to worry about giving websites endless permission to certain features of the browser.

Google enabled the feature in Chrome 116 already. Other browsers, including Safari, Firefox, and many Chromium-based browsers, support one-time permissions as well.

Firefox, for example, makes certain permissions one-time only by default to improve privacy.

Improved unsubscribing from notifications

How unsubscribe works in Chrome for Android. Source: Google

Maybe you have a friend or relative who is bombarded with website notifications throughout the day and also night. It is easy enough to accept permission requests, but not so easy to deal with these.

Google is introducing better functionality to do something about it.

Downside is, that the feature launches on Pixel devices only. Google says it will bring the functionality to Chrome for other Android devices in the future as well.

The main improvement is an “unsubscribe” link attached directly to notifications. Hit the link and you are unsubscribed immediately, no questions asked.

You can check out the full blog post here.

What is your take on these features? Do they improve user safety while using Chrome? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Summary