Google Chrome now scans for compromised passwords in the background

Google says the Chrome Safety Check feature will work in the background to check if passwords saved in the web browser have been compromised.

Chrome will also alert desktop users if they're using extensions flagged as dangerous (taken down from the Chrome Web Store), the latest Chrome version, or if Safe Browsing is enabled to block websites on Google's list of potentially unsafe sites.

"Safety Check for Chrome on desktop will now run automatically in the background," said Chrome Group Product Manager Sabine Borsay. "These alerts will appear in the three-dot menu in Chrome so you can take action."

Additionally, Google will broaden Safety Check's functionality to automatically revoke permissions, such as access to the users' location or microphone, for websites that haven't been visited for a long time.

Safety Check is also being upgraded to flag less-engaged sites showing excessive numbers of notifications and allow users to quickly disable them.

Unveiled in December 2020, Safety Check compares login credentials against those exposed in data leaks. It also checks for weak and easy-to-guess passwords that expose users to brute-force attacks or password-cracking attempts.



Chrome Safety Check updates (Google)