Google Chrome 17 Features Malicious File Warning

The Google Chrome browser's security has been tightened up, with a new feature added to the latest variant to warn users if a file they're about to download is malicious or if it originates from a bad site.

The addition's been made to Chrome version 17 beta and, according to a Google release, it only works on .msi (Windows installation) and .exe (executable) files for the moment, but should be expanded to other file types in coming months.

"We're starting small with this initial beta release, but we'll be ramping up coverage for more and more malicious files in the coming months", Dominic Hamon, representing the firm, explained in a Google blog.

Google Chrome: Malicious File Warnings

Google Chrome has included malicious file warnings since the advent of Chrome version 12, but they've been limited in scope, only highlighting the dangers involved in obtaining exe.files from sites with known malware content.

Like Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari, Chrome relies on Google Safe Browsing to detect potentially harmful websites and their content. "If a file you download is known to be bad, or is hosted on a website that hosts a relatively high percentage of malicious downloads, Chrome will warn you that the file appears to be malicious and that you should discard it", Hamon added. "Remember, no technical mechanism can ever protect you completely from malicious downloads. You should always be careful about which files you download and consider the reputation of their source."

Chrome Version 17

Chrome version 17's release in beta form occurred at the very start of 2012 and the final version's now expected to be available by around the end of January. As covered in a previous Security Technology News item, Google also recently released the 4.0 version of its Android operating system, which includes a new security tool - smartphone facial recognition technology in place of traditional password access.

Google Chrome was first released to the world in September 2008 and, since then, has been continually updated and refined. Figures recently published by internet traffic analysis firm StatCounter indicate that, at the end of last year, Google Chrome was the world's second-most popular web browser, behind Internet Explorer and ahead of Firefox.

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Companies supplying Internet Security