Google today released Chrome 79 for all platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS, Android, and iOS.
This release comes with several bug fixes, but also new features, such as built-in support for the password checker, a real-time blacklist for malicious websites via the Safe Browsing API, the launch of Predictive Phishing protection, HTTPS for “mixed content”, and support for tab freezing.
The new version, in addition to all of the above, also brings a new user interface to the Chrome Sync Profiles section and supports a caching mechanism (back-forward caching available in the chrome://flags/#back-forward-cache).
It's worth mentioning that Password Checkup is an online service through which Google checks all passwords synced with Chrome to see if they have been leaked in breaches of other services.
Until now, Password Checkup was available as a separate Chrome extension or in a section in the Google dashboard.
With the new Chrome 79 release today, the Password Checkup utility has been integrated into Chrome. To use it, you'll need to sync your Chrome passwords to a Google account.
Once enabled, the feature will let you know which websites you were using passwords on that have been leaked online and you will be prompted to change them.
Another important tool that this version brings and is worth mentioning is phishing prediction. or in English Predictive Phishing.
It started as an idea in 2017 and appears to have been completed today with the release of version 79. Predictive Phishing warns users when they want to enter passwords on phishing websites.
Until now, the feature supported detecting phishing sites when entering credentials only from Google accounts and only when users used the sync feature in Chrome.
With Chrome 79, phishing warnings will be available for all usernames and passwords stored in Chrome's password database, even if the user doesn't use the sync feature.
Interesting, huh?
