Google releases Chrome extension to easily report suspicious URLs

Google is releasing two new features to protect internet users from fake or deceptive websites. It is a Chrome extension that makes reporting suspicious URLs easy. There is also a warning to keep users away from suspicious URLs.

Google writes that the so-called Suspicious Site Reporter is an extension that places an icon at the top of the Chrome web browser in the toolbar. As soon as a user clicks on it, a pop-up window opens in which an automated report about the current, suspicious-looking website can be passed. Chrome’s Emily Schechter says that adding a website to Safe Browsing’s lists doesn’t just protect Chrome users. This is related to the fact that in addition to Chrome, other browsers such as Firefox and Safari also support this Safe Browsing api.

In addition, a new security feature is also being released for Chrome 75 users. From now on, they may encounter a warning screen in their browser window whenever they visit a website with suspicious URLs or URLs that closely resemble the presumably desired website. For example, if a single letter of a URL is mistyped, the warning screen may appear. This works by comparing the url to urls that have been visited before. If the URL largely matches, but is slightly different, Chrome assumes that it may be a suspicious, unwanted page, the user is presented in the warning screen with the proposal to be redirected to the presumably desired website.