Google Chrome now has a built-in anti-virus for Windows

Google Chrome, the web browser, is also now an anti-virus software for your Windows computer. The search giant is rolling out a new Chrome Cleanup tool for Google Chrome in Windows which will automatically scan your computer for potentially harmful software.

Google Chrome will automatically scan your computer for harmful software every day, and it will notify you when harmful software is found on your computer. By default, a simple dialog will ask you if you want to remove harmful software from your computer without showing you any details about all the programs that are being removed. You will need to click on the details button find out exactly what’s being considered harmful and what will be removed by the tool.

Google says it worked with security firm ESET to utilize the company’s detection engine in Chrome for the new Chrome Cleanup tool. “We can now detect and remove more unwanted software than ever before, meaning more people can benefit from Chrome Cleanup,” said the company in a blog post. The company’s browser will also now be able to automatically detect when Chrome’s settings have been modified by third-party software without your consent. That’s actually going to be immensely useful for users who aren’t too familiar with harmful software and can’t even tell when their browser’s default search engine is changed to a malicious one.

Google hasn’t been shy about calling Microsoft out on Windows vulnerabilities in the past, and the company’s latest attempts to keep your Windows machine safe from malicious software are just taking things a tiny step further.

Source: Google | Via: AP