When I think of protecting myself from malware the first thing that comes to mind is don’t go to crazy websites. The next thing I think of is a good anti-virus software to scan my personal computer to seek out malware and destroy it. It never occured to me that I should look at another line of defense to help add me in the anti-malware war. There is a new developmental version of googles web browser called the “Canary” version of Chrome. This could possibly change everything and give the antivirus company’s a scare.
The goal behind the new browser is to show a small warning note in the area of the screen reserved for downloads, notifying the user that it has prevented malware from being downloaded. Most of the new sites prevented by Google is not from their traditional black list of infected sites. They are the ones that may change browser settings or install ads, and hijack the browser for whatever malicious acts they want do.
I think google is going in the right direction by adding this extra layer of protection. It would be nice to have my browser block all malware that tries to enter my computer and also warn me of possible sites that they have located malware and viruses on before. This all sounds good in theory and it would be nice for me not to have to pay a yearly subscription for anti-virus software, but the harsh reality is that hackers will eventually find a way to get around this new browser creation. I’m still all for it because the more layers of protection the harder it’ll be for the hackers, and may even steer away the new or want to be hackers as it could prove to be too much work.
Work Cited:
Hachman, Mark. "Google's Chrome Will
Automatically Block Malware." PCWorld. N.p., 01 Nov. 2013. Web. 05 Nov. 2013.
Kavilanz, Parija. "Google's Dreaded
'Blacklist'" Yahoo
Finance. N.p., 05 Nov. 2013. Web. 05 Nov. 2013.
I think Google Chrome is way better than Internet Explorer. As mentioned in the blog, Google is constantly trying to offer its users new features to gain market share. I recently had a problem with Internet Explorer, and because of that experience, I decided to permanently switch to Chrome. By the way, I was not aware of Canary at all. Great blog!!
ReplyDeleteUntil recently I had not downloaded Google Chrome for my Mac. In the past I was content with the standard Apple browser - Safari. The feature that I enjoy most on Chrome (and really the reason I downloaded it) is AdBlock. It's pretty cool that a browser has the ability to block unwanted content and now unwanted content that could be potentially harmful. It will be interesting to see how much protection Google will be able to provide to Chrome users and if and when it begins to hurt companies like Norton and McAffee.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information. I am pretty careful about what I click into, but I am well aware that despite our best intentions, we can be infected. This gives me another layer of protection to add to my being careful and my virus protection I have loaded on my computer. I've never used Chrome, I used to be IE only but then about a year ago I switched to Firefox. I've had some issues lately with PDF files in Firefox so I think now I'll give Chrome a chance. Thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeleteAlthough there is a chance that hackers may get into your computer securities, I don't think that is reason enough to just throw out all ideas and options of security. I agree--layering as much as possible seems to be the best option. Taking steps to protect yourself is the best you can do. If you are responsible and stay on top of what is going on, you will be prepared and already on the look-out if something starts to go wrong. Good informative blog!
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY why I think GOOGLE is Great!! I think it s a nice feature to have a extra layer of protection.Google Chrome to me is bay far my favorite over Internet explorer,etc. AND it's faster!
ReplyDeleteFrom my point of view, after using other browsers as Firefox and Internet Explorer, I realized that Google Chrome is better because is faster and is always improving and giving new features and tools as Canary. I think that with this new version named Canary, we will have a better search experience because with the extra layer of protection we will know if there is a malware in the file that we are downloading. This new version will help us to decrease the chance of being infected by a malware, but the question is: How much protection does Canary provide?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, that it is good that they are providing an extra layer of protection. You are also right when you say hackers will eventually find a way around it though. I wonder if anyone will ever develop a program that will be unhackable, or is there no such thing?
ReplyDeleteI am glad that I came across this blog, I also had no idea that Google Canary existed. I agree with those saying that you should use it as extra protection, but not as a substitute for your computers protection. From a marketing standpoint, it is very smart of Google to post a warning saying it has protected the customer from malware. I am sure that with this, it will keep enforcing customer trust and loyalty, after all, who wants malware! I wonder if other web browsers will follow suit and create malware protection? I would think that they would have to in order to keep a competitive edge in technology. I myself, use Google Chrome mostly because I have never had any issues with Google, has anyone used canary yet?
ReplyDeleteThis would definitely give the software that helps protect your computer a run for their money. I'm always looking for extra ways to help protect my computer, it's not that I visit bad sites it's just nowadays you can get viruses from so much you just never really know so the safer the better. Thanks for the post this is very good to know.
ReplyDeleteAnything that is free and helps with computer protection sounds great to me. Right now I just use Microsoft Security Essentials, but another layer of protection from my browser would be a great addition. Nice article!
ReplyDeleteInteresting blog post! I think it's a great idea of google to do that. I love using google for everything because everything is free! Not to mention it's user friendly. I can see if google does put this out, a lot of anti virus companies will probably go out of business because people won't have to pay for anti virus protection.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really great idea. It would be very interesting to know which websites install viruses onto my computer because they would probably not match up with many of the websites I would predict.
ReplyDelete