Chrome Extensions On Windows To Get Web Store Requirement In January

Windows users are no stranger to malware of various sorts, though the infection rate has decreased in some ways over the years. As with all browsers, Chrome is vulnerable to infections by those who take advantage of lax extensions security, with users installing (or in some cases, having installed without consent) malicious extensions. Google has announced a new change to put an end to this.

Bundled browser extensions are fairly common, and third-party extension downloads can be found online by those who haven't gone through the Web Store for whatever reason. While certainly some of these extensions are perfectly safe, others are designed to cause issues on a small or large scale, something said to be the biggest reason for complaints from Windows users.

The problem for Google is that battling these malicious extensions is near impossible if they're located and downloaded from the wild. Security for users has been a big focus as of late, and in line with this, Google has turned its focus specifically towards Windows in this regard, instituting a change for extensions aimed at keeping users safe.

Starting in January 2014, both stable and beta channels will require all extensions added to be located in the Chrome Web Store, with Chrome Apps support remaining the same and local installations being possible for developers. Enterprise policy installs will also remain the same, meaning it is the everyday user who will be the biggest target of this switch up.

SOURCE: Chromium