Google Now Warns Chrome Users about Stolen Passwords

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Google Chrome has released a new version that warns users if their passwords have been previously stolen. Through this new security feature, the browser will alert users if the credentials they enter on a website have been previously uncovered by hackers. Chrome will also prompt users to change any password that has been compromised. The new feature works by using techniques that allow Google to check one password against thousands in its database. Google converts that password into a hash, which is a unique string of letters and numbers. If the browser finds two passwords with the same hash after the scan, it means that the password was leaked before. The new safety feature was released as part of the company’s Safe Browsing initiative. This measure protects users against malicious websites and phishing, a common hacking method wherein users are tricked into clicking dangerous links and typing in their account details. According to a report by telecommunications company Verizon, phishing is the main cause of data leaks, and Google reported that it blocks around 100 million phishing e-mails daily. In addition to protecting users against stolen passwords, Google also upgraded its phishing protection. Chrome now inspects a website’s address in real-time to check if it is legitimate. When users visit a website, Chrome checks the address against a list of thousands of safe websites. If it is not on the list, Chrome then checks if the address leads to a dangerous site. Google reported that since this change, there has been a 30% increase in its ability to protect against malicious websites.