Google Announces "Password Alert" To Protect Against Phishing Attacks

HughPickens.com writes: Google has announced Password Alert, a free, open-source Chrome extension that protects your Google Accounts from phishing attacks. Once you've installed it, Password Alert will show a warning if you type your Google password into a site that isn't a Google sign-in page. This protects you from phishing attacks and also encourages you to use different passwords for different sites, a security best practice. Once you've installed and initialized Password Alert, Chrome will remember a "scrambled" version of your Google Account password. It only remembers this information for security purposes and doesn't share it with anyone. If you type your password into a site that isn't a Google sign-in page, an alert will tell you that you're at risk of being phished so you can update your password and protect yourself.

Comments

Chrome will remember a "scrambled" version

[SoCalChris]

It's sad how far Slashdot has fallen.

Re:Chrome will remember a "scrambled" version

[Anonymous Coward]

It's sad how smugly superior the tech nerds are here.

Re:Chrome will remember a "scrambled" version

[amias]

hmm , how do i find passwords on this computer...

lets start typing random strings into a password field until this plugin tells me which is the google password.

yay , now i can log in to their google account first time !

this is almost as silly as those things that validate your bank cards pin for online banking that let
muggers force you to disclose your pin in a way that the banking system couldn't possibly no.

i really hope this isn't going to be installed on mobile phones

Why an extension?

[Begemot]

Users who are savvy enough to find and install this extension are less likely to fall for phishing.
Users who may fall for phishing may not hear about the extension or do not know how to install it.
Why not build it in the browser itself?