Google has launched a free extension for its Chrome web browser it calls Password Alert, that better protects Google accounts, including email, against online attackers trying to steal passwords and other personal information.
So whenever you type your Gmail password into a "phishing" page, or imitation sites designed to steal passwords and access personal information, the new extension will alert you and gives you a chance to immediately reset your Gmail password before it can be used to compromise your account.
It is being said that nearly 2 per cent of messages sent through Gmail, Google's email service, are designed to steal passwords.
Password Alert will also prove useful for those ‘careless' users who reuse the same password across many different sites.
Phishing remains a serious concern for information security, and is often the initial breach point for hacker schemes.
"Right now, it's left up to the user to decide whether or not to enter their password," said Drew Hintz, the lead engineer for Password Alert. "We expect users to know the difference between these sites, and that's an unreasonable request to make of users."
The new extension, which took about three years to create, is an addition to Google's other security measures, including safe browsing technology that warns users against potentially malicious sites and verification tools that help protect private accounts.
Read the official Google blog here
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