My guess is that, because the eicar test file doesn’t directly affect Chrome, it wasn’t picked up. I attempted to intentionally infect a Windows 10 VM with a known malware test file (eicar.zip) but Chrome didn’t pick it up. I have yet to actually see the scanner pick up any malicious software. SEE: Google Cloud Platform: An insider’s guide (free PDF) (TechRepublic) Results What does the scanner look for? According to the official Google Blog, the developers worked with ESET to combine the Chrome sandbox technology with ESET’s detection engine to create a system that will remove software that doesn’t comply with Google’s unwanted software policy.Īlthough the scanner does run automatically (it’s not, however, real-time), should you download a file or suspect something is going on, run the scanner manually. The scanner will do its thing and eventually report back (hopefully) that your system is clean. If you don’t click on the FIND button, eventually the scanner will run of its own accord. Hit enter and the tool will appear ( Figure A).Ĭlick on the FIND button and the scanner will run. Open up Chrome and then enter chrome://settings/cleanup in the address bar. Using the built-in malware scanner is quite simple.
#Google chrome cleanup tool safe update#
If you’re running an older version, update immediately. To check your version, open Chrome, click on the Menu button, and select About Chrome. Obviously, you’ll need a Windows machine, running an updated version of Chrome.
#Google chrome cleanup tool safe how to#
I want to show you how to use this added level of defense against malware on Windows. As you might expect, this tool can only be found in the Windows version of Chrome, so Linux and macOS users need not apply. What Google has done is roll in its own malware scanner, one that runs in the background (so long as Chrome is open) and can also be run manually. That’s not a bad thing, as many malware threats are picked up from using a browser. Instead, it will scan for known threats to the Chrome browser. It’s not going to scan your system for any and all threats. The one caveat to this particular anti-malware software is that it’s not an all-purpose tool. Quick glossary: Metaverse (TechRepublic Premium) Paging Zefram Cochrane: Humans have figured out how to make a warp bubble Log4j: How to protect yourself from this security vulnerability The best programming languages to learn in 2022 So when Google decided to roll out a built-in anti-malware tool (a tool that was actually announced way back in 2017), it meant those users who work with the Chrome browser enjoyed an added layer of defense. Chances are your company already employs the means to prevent malware. But because it’s your job to serve as the front line assembly of defense, it doesn’t mean you can’t empower your users (and their tools) to give you a hand. Malicious software continues to rise and it’s IT’s job to prevent such code from finding its way to end-user systems.