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Google Chrome to Protect Its Default Search Engine from Changes Being Made By Third-Party Programs

December 15, 2011 by Venkat Eswarlu

If you’re following news recently you may knew that Google funded study concluded Google Chrome as secured browser than Firefox and Internet Explorer for its Sandbox, plugin security and other security features, yet another feature Protector added to Chrome exists in current dev. and Chromium builds protects against search settings changes attempted by third party/external apps for e.g  extensions and toolbars.

Enabling Search Engine Protector For Chrome on Windows

In fact Internet Explorer already has this feature alerts users when their search engine changes which Google now added to their Chrome browser which is disabled by default.You need to enable it by adding Protector flag.  You need to append –Protector after path whatever exists in Target field which you can get by right clicking on Chrome shortcut and selecting properties.

Though Google Chrome doesn’t allows installing toolbars if you do install some toolbars that bundled with other freeware programs on your Computer. They can change Chrome’s default search engine without your knowledge which Chrome now detects, warns and prevents the changes and asks you to select the search setting.

Chrome warns as below as this happens

“Attempted default search engine change, Arr something tried to commandeer your default search setting! which we weren’t sure what to do, so we set it to Google, “Change Search setting”  “Select Search Setting” “.

Venkat Eswarlu
Venkat Eswarlu

Venkat is an independent technology journalist and the founder of Techdows. He has been covering web browsers, Windows, and software news since 2009. His exclusive scoops on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge features have been cited by Forbes, TechCrunch, Wired, CNET, and other major publications.

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Posted in: Google Chrome, News, Security Tagged: Protector

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