Google adds early warning system to Chrome against fraud

Google is working to enhance the protection of Chrome browser users against online fraud by adding an early warning system that alerts users to suspicious websites even when there is not enough evidence to confirm their danger.

New classification for suspicious websites

The tech website Digital Trends reported on Wednesday that the new update adds a category for suspicious websites within the Enhanced Protection mode in the Chrome browser, representing a warning level lower than the classification dedicated to dangerous sites for which the browser displays a red warning.

The new system aims to alert users to pages showing suspicious indicators or using common deceptive tactics found in malicious sites, without being certain they pose a confirmed threat. The browser will display different alerts in terms of colors, symbols, and texts according to the level of risk.

Enhancing protection with artificial intelligence

This measure can help users pay attention to phishing and online fraud attempts, especially websites impersonating online stores or technical support services, seeking to obtain login credentials, passwords, and financial information.

Google is also working on developing enhanced protection capabilities using a Gemini artificial intelligence model, which can analyze the nature of the website and the brand it claims to represent, alongside relying on the domain's reputation and other security signals to assess the likelihood of its connection to a fraud operation.

Protection from new deceptive tactics

The updates also include enhanced protection against known fraud methods called ClickFix, which attempt to deceive users into copying and running malicious code commands themselves. The browser can analyze suspicious commands and display an additional warning when a potential threat is detected.

These updates come as part of efforts to develop browser protection tools, helping users identify cyber threats and avoid websites and pages that may endanger their personal and financial data.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)