Google is adding a new feature to the latest version of Chrome that will proactively alert you when an extension is removed from the Chrome Web Store. According to a post by Oliver Dunk, a developer relations engineer for Chrome extensions, the new feature, which was added as part of Chrome 117, will make it easier to stay informed about extensions that have been removed by developers, flagged by Google for violating Chrome Web Store policies, or labeled as malware.
Dunk explains that Chrome will display the extensions falling under those categories in the “Safety Check” section of the Privacy and Security settings in Chrome. He states: “When users click on ‘Review,’ they will be taken to their extensions and given the option to remove the extension or dismiss the warning if they wish to keep the extension installed.” “As in previous versions of Chrome, extensions that are flagged as malware are automatically disabled.”
For extensions discovered to be malware, it is strongly recommended to remove them immediately not only to protect your data but also to prevent your computer from facing future attacks.
As for extensions that have been removed for other reasons, it is also advised to remove them, as they are no longer supported or violate other policies that are not necessarily malicious but are not necessarily useful either.
Google has a dedicated policy page for the Chrome Web Store that details the content or behavior that may lead to an extension being removed from the store.
Google also says that Chrome will soon display a warning when attempting to download “high-risk files” during an insecure connection. The warnings are set to roll out mid-September, and you can see an example of what they will look like in the image below.
