Avoid malware
Just as Google searches the web for the best answers to your questions, it also searches for sites that appear harmful to users or contain malware. Every day, we detect and flag more than 10,000 of these dangerous sites, and we display warnings on more than 14 million Google Search results and 300,000 downloads, letting our users know that something suspicious may be happening on a particular site or link.
We also use the same technology to detect if someone sends you a message in Gmail that may be harmful or contain malware, and to warn you if you try to download an item from a website that may look like a ringtone or PDF file, but contains hidden code that could harm your computer.
Even if you visit a page that contains malware, Google engineers have built additional defenses into the Chrome browser that help prevent malware from being installed on your computer and limit the impact of malware on your computer.
Stay safe
One way attackers often gain access to your computer is by looking for known security issues in previous versions of software running on your device. They know that many users don't always update their computers to the latest software and programs, which have the best security protections. Google knows this too, which is why it designed its Chrome browser to automatically install the latest version every time you launch it, so you have up-to-date security protections without any extra effort.
Chrome sometimes needs to work with other software, called plug-ins, to perform functions like displaying photos or videos properly. These plug-ins can also be a way for attackers to gain control of your computer. If Chrome detects an old plug-in with a security issue, it will block that plug-in until you get the most up-to-date, secure version and will show you a message saying that the plug-in needs to be updated.
Keep your mobile device secure
Smartphones running Google's Android software implement similar protection methods to limit the risk of damage.
Android requires every app in the Google Play Store to disclose the kind of information it wants to collect from your device, so you can decide whether to trust the app or not. Google Play also automatically scans to block and remove harmful apps, and for some Android phones, Google's App Verification Service checks for harmful apps regardless of where they were installed. So if you install apps from unknown sources like the web or a third-party app store, this free service will give you an extra layer of security.
