Google has expanded its Safe Browsing service, which allows Google Chrome for MacOS to better protect users from programs that can insert ads locally into websites or change the homepage and search in browser settings. Safe Browsing can block Google Search, Google Chrome and also in Mozilla Firefox access to websites that host malicious code or software. The service is even used to scan all downloaded files and examines them during the scan and then evaluates whether the file is malicious or safe.
"Safe Browsing extends its protection to MacOS devices, enabling safer browsing without worrying about unwanted software and malware targeting MacOS", Google said on its official blog, adding: "As a result, MacOS users may start seeing more warnings the moment they visit dangerous sites or try to download dangerous files."
The new Safe Browsing extension for macOS takes aim at apps that are harming users' browsing experience. These are apps that use unauthorized methods to add unwanted ads directly to the browser or change browser settings against the user's will. According to Google's policy, an app can only interfere with normal browser functionality, and only through extensions for Chrome offered within Chrome Web StoreAdding unwanted advertising, changing browser settings, or capturing visited pages or passwords is considered a violation of Google policy and will be blocked.
