With the internet has arrived malware that can take over your computer and virtually hand it on a platter to hidden fraudsters. Google had recognized this problem since introducing its highly popular search engine and has been doing its best since five years to protect surfers with the help of Safe Browsing.
Google states that it identifies over 9,000 new sites with dangerous malware each day and warns users about the hazards of visiting such websites. While a few websites have been afflicted with dangerous malware, others have been specifically created by fraudsters to rob personal data and money off unsuspecting visitors.
Over 600 million surfers have been protected by Google, thanks to its Safe Browsing feature that is embedded not only in Google Chrome, but also in Firefox and Safari. This free service is provided to around 13 million searches that take place each day over the globe.
As creators of phishing websites get smarter with each passing Drive-by Download, Google too needs to stay abreast of their diverse tactics to prevent such attacks. Fraudsters have been skipping around in different digital and physical locations in a bid to avoid detection, and Google is leaving no stone unturned in preventing such attacks from reaching all web surfers irrespective of whether they use Google or not.
An increasing number of ecommerce websites and online transactions have proved to be a tempting target for phishing websites that have even gone on to pretend as providers of anti-virus software that is in fact, fake software. Google not only warns users from ending up at such websites through its Safe Browsing service, but also cautions surfers not to ignore such warnings while encouraging webmasters to utilize the malware warning feature within Google Webmaster Tools.
The war between fraudsters and Google will continue in the virtual battlefield, but users should remain aware of the threat and ensure that they take all available protection to remain safe whilst surfing the internet.