Google more vulnerable to phishing attacks than Firefox
Google (GOOG) Chrome is the worst web browser for detecting and blocking phishing attacks, despite being the most widely used in the UK.
Consumer group Which? said that a study looking for the web addresses of 800 recently discovered phishing sites in a web browser showed that Google’s Chrome only blocks 28% when used on Windows and 25% on an Apple (AAPL) Mac computer.
The Firefox browser performed best, preventing 85% of phishing attacks on Windows and 78% on Mac.
Firefox has prevented more phishing attacks than Microsoft (MSFT) The Windows Edge default browser that blocked 82% of phishing attacks, and the Apple MacOS Safari default browser that blocked 77% of attacks.
Meanwhile, Opera only managed to prevent 56% on Mac and Windows operating systems.
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Phishing scams are those where criminals craft messages that appear genuine in order to trick consumers into clicking a link to a fake website where viruses could be installed on their device, or tricking them into handing over personal information that can be used to access financial information. or online bank accounts.
“It’s incredibly alarming that a huge company like Google allows the security of its users to be exposed in this way – a gift for fraudsters who constantly try to use phishing attacks as a launching pad for scams that can have a devastating impact on victims,” said IT writer Lisa Barber.
“If you’re worried about your online safety, stay alert when clicking on a link, install a high-quality free or paid antivirus package, keep your browser up-to-date, and sign up for our free e-mail alerts. scams will massively increase your protection against malicious websites.”
In response to the findings, a Google spokesperson said it was “difficult to comment” because he had “very little context on the methodology of this report” and that until he saw the report comprehensive, the company said it questions the “validity of the findings.” ”.
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Who? said that if “browsers like Firefox can do it, there’s no reason the UK’s most popular browser can’t measure up.”
To help combat these scams, the UK’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) advises users to think carefully before clicking on a link sent to them, unsolicited, by an organization. It also encourages people to look for telltale signs, including poor spelling or grammar, or a sense of urgency in the message to try to encourage a rash decision.