Google has introduced an updated Safe Browsing feature for Chrome on desktop and iOS, offering real-time protection against malicious sites while preserving user privacy. This enhancement allows Chrome to compare site URLs against Google’s server-side database of known threats in real time, potentially blocking 25% more phishing attempts. Previously, Chrome relied on a locally-stored database updated every 30 to 60 minutes.
The shift to server-side checks, announced in September 2023, aims to address the rapid growth of harmful websites and the brief existence of phishing domains. The new system checks URLs against cached safe URLs and previous Safe Browsing results. For URLs not in the cache,
Chrome encrypts and sends a truncated hash to a privacy server, which forwards it to the Safe Browsing server without revealing the user’s IP address, ensuring privacy. Google partners with Fastly to operate an Oblivious HTTP relay between Chrome and the Safe Browsing server, further protecting user data. This method allows for effective threat detection without compromising user privacy or browsing history.
