{"id":8534,"date":"2017-02-13T14:00:23","date_gmt":"2017-02-13T22:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.hellotech.com\/?p=8534"},"modified":"2021-06-13T11:14:29","modified_gmt":"2021-06-13T18:14:29","slug":"chromebooks-virus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hellotech.com\/blog\/chromebooks-virus","title":{"rendered":"Are Chromebooks Really Free from Viruses and Malware?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re looking for a cheap but reliable laptop, the Chromebook is probably at the top of your list. This isn\u2019t really surprising since it\u2019s fast and efficient and has a reasonable price tag. It\u2019s even touted as one of the safest laptops out there due to the tight security provided by its built-in browser-based Chrome OS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But is the Chromebook really safe from viruses and other types of malicious software? Does it provide you with better protection than other laptops? Let\u2019s take a closer look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Are<\/span><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Chromebooks are Designed to Fight Malware<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Google points out that the Chromebook is built with \u201cmultiple layers of protection\u201d. This means that, even if a malicious program can bypass one security feature, several others are still in place to prevent it from fully infecting the computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of these layers is automatic updates. The Chromebook automatically downloads and installs the latest updates for the Chrome OS right out of the box, so there\u2019s no need for you to adjust the settings. As a result, you have the assurance that your laptop is always running on the most updated version with the latest security patches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Are<\/span>
Chromebooks are designed to be tamper-proof as can be.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Another layer is data encryption. The Chromebook stores most of users\u2019 data on the cloud, but some information (such as cookies and downloads) still need to be saved on physical memory. The laptop protects this info by using tamper-proof hardware that encrypts the stored data and ensures it won\u2019t be easily accessed by attackers.Chromebook also uses the sandbox technique to prevent malware from fully infecting the computer. Each application and web page is placed in a restricted environment so, if it comes with a virus or any other malicious software, it would be limited to that certain app or page and won\u2019t spread to the other parts of the laptop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chromebooks also use the sandbox technique to prevent malware from fully infecting the computer. Each application and web page is placed in a restricted environment so, if it comes with a virus or any other malicious software, it would be limited to that certain app or page and won\u2019t spread to the other parts of the laptop.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Computer<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Even if malware can somehow get past through these defenses, the Chromebook has several tricks up its sleeve to keep it from spreading. It goes through a self-check process called \u201cVerified Boot\u201d every time it starts to see if the system has been corrupted or tampered with. It then isolates the affected area and repairs it to make the laptop function like new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chromebook users can also take some steps to save their laptop if they somehow stumble upon extortion websites. These sites lock the browser and make people believe that they need to pay before they could use their computer again. If you own a Chromebook and come across this site, you can simply hard reset your laptop<\/a> to unlock the browser. Different Chromebook models have different hard reset instructions, so it\u2019s important to know exactly what steps to take for your specific model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malicious Extensions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All of the features mentioned above can convince you that the Chromebook is free from malicious software. However, Google is the first to admit that its laptop isn\u2019t 100 percent safe. In fact, there have been several instances wherein viruses and other types of malware were able to bypass the security layers of Google Chrome \u2014 and, by extension, the Chrome OS that powers Chromebooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of these malware use browser extensions to enter Chromebooks as well as other computers that run on Google Chrome. These extensions are aggressively pushed by infected websites, which force users to download them before they can access the site\u2019s content or even exit the web page. The extensions are listed on the official Chrome web store but, if you look closely, you\u2019ll see that they don\u2019t have screenshots, product information, and reviews \u2014 a warning sign that they\u2019re not really that reliable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll also notice that they ask for permissions that are too invasive for their purposes. As an example, Malwarebytes pointed out<\/a> an extension that asked to read and change users\u2019 data on the websites they visit \u2014 which is over the top considering that it was supposedly a simple calculator extension. Malwarebytes\u2019 team found out that it actually contained scripts that allowed a third-party domain to intercept web requests and, ultimately, have access to user data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malware from Android Apps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Google announced last year that Chromebooks will have the ability to run Android apps from the Google Play Store. This feature is available in a limited number of models, but it\u2019s expected to roll out to other Chromebook units. This news has delighted Android fans since they can use their favorite apps without having to reach for their smartphone, and it has also caused excitement among Chromebook owners since they\u2019ll now have more applications to choose from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it\u2019s important to note that Android apps can slightly raise the chances of getting malware infection. The Play Store does have a reliable system that weeds out malware-laden apps, but it\u2019s not totally foolproof. A few apps containing malicious script can still sneak through, and they can cause significant damage when they\u2019re downloaded into Android devices or Chromebooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Verdict<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chromebooks are definitely one of the most secure laptops on the market. It can protect itself from malware, but it\u2019s not 100 percent immune from attacks \u2014 especially those that are cleverly designed to bypass modern security features. Because of this, it\u2019s still advisable to take precautions when using your Chromebook to protect your important information.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Computer<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re looking for a cheap but reliable laptop, the Chromebook is probably at the top of your list. This isn\u2019t really surprising since it\u2019s fast and efficient and has a reasonable price tag. It\u2019s even touted as one of the safest laptops out there due to the tight security provided by its built-in browser-based Chrome OS. But is the Chromebook really safe from viruses and other types of malicious software? Does it provide you with better protection than other […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8568,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17594,17583,17593],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-computers","category-featured","category-staying-safe"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAre Chromebooks Really Free from Viruses and Malware? - The Plug - HelloTech<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are Chromebooks safe from computer viruses? Do they provide you with better protection than other laptops? 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