In a bid to fortify user security against cyber threats, Google has been ardently advertising its Enhanced Safe Browsing feature in Gmail. Users have started noticing banners on their Gmail homepage on Android and the web, enticing them to activate the additional layer of protection against harmful emails. This feature initially spotted on Friday, is now being globally rolled out. Google outlines several advantages of activating Enhanced Safe Browsing, which include:
- Real-time security scanning to caution against or prevent access to risky websites, downloads, and extensions.
- Improving Google’s capacity to identify and guard against phishing and malware attacks, thereby enhancing web safety for all users.
- Offering better protection from malicious links across Google apps.
The tech giant also informed that 70% of Google Accounts, belonging to regular users of their products, benefit automatically from second-factor authentication whenever a suspicious sign-in attempt is detected.
The Emergence and Evolution of Enhanced Safe Browsing
Chrome first introduced Enhanced Safe Browsing three years ago, intending to provide real-time web protection. The standard version of Safe Browsing works by comparing the URL of the websites you visit with a local list that updates every 30 minutes. This list has been adopted widely by various apps and browsers for security purposes. Google felt the need for Enhanced Safe Browsing to counter sophisticated phishing websites that could slip past the standard version’s update period. The Enhanced version sends “uncommon URLs” in real time to ascertain if the user is on the verge of accessing a phishing site. This feature also shares a “small sample of pages and suspicious downloads” with Chrome. Data is also contributed by Gmail, Google Drive, and other signed-in Google apps. Enhanced Safe Browsing later grew to include warnings about Chrome extensions and conduct in-depth file analyses, among other things. Leveraging Machine Learning models, the feature is now available on Chrome for iOS as well.
Recorded Increase in Data Breaches
In 2022, over 422 million people’s online data were compromised through data breaches, exposures, or other means, marking a staggering 40% increase from the previous year. This data comes from the Identity Theft Resource Center, highlighting the escalating need for online safety.
Activating Enhanced Safe Browsing
To enjoy the benefits of this advanced protection, users must enable Enhanced Safe Browsing manually. The steps to enable this feature vary for different devices. It’s important to note that turning on this feature on one device doesn’t carry over to others, implying that users must activate the feature on each device individually for complete coverage.
Benefits of Enhanced Safe Browsing
Turning on Enhanced Safe Browsing offers several potential advantages:
- It checks in real time if a site you are about to visit might be a phishing site, reducing the risk of falling victim to scams.
- Before downloading a new extension from the Chrome web store, this feature will notify you if the extension is trusted, following the Chrome Web Store Developer Program Policies.
- It scans files before downloading to block suspicious ones. If a file is risky but not clearly unsafe, Chrome asks users if they want to send it to Google for a more detailed analysis.
- It also checks usernames and passwords associated with data breaches, potentially saving you a lot of trouble.
Potential Downsides of Enhanced Safe Browsing
While Enhanced Safe Browsing is designed to provide better security, there are some potential drawbacks. Activating this feature allows Google access to more in-depth information about your browsing habits, which could have implications for your privacy. However, Google states that this data is anonymized after a short period of time for user protection. Furthermore, Enhanced Safe Browsing could pose challenges for new extension developers. They must wait for Google to label their product as trusted, a process that requires adherence to developer program policies for a few months. This policy could potentially deter new developers who rely on their work for income or those who can’t afford the waiting period. In conclusion, while Enhanced Safe Browsing brings forth significant improvements in online safety, users should consider the potential trade-offs concerning privacy and data sharing.
