Why is Google removing the Chrome Cleanup Tool?

If you use Google Chrome on Windows, you must say goodbye to the Chrome Cleanup Tool, the tool to detect and remove unwanted and malicious programs that can damage your system.

The Mountain View firm announced the gradual deactivation of the tool with the Chrome 111 update, made available on March 8.

8 years of good and loyal service

With this update, Windows users will no longer be able to request a scan from the Google Cleanup Tool. The component that periodically scans Windows devices and prompts users to clean up suspicious software is also going to be removed by Chrome.

Launched in 2015, the Chrome Cleanup Tool has since performed more than 80 million cleanups. ” Although we will miss the Chrome Cleanup Tool, we wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge the role it has played in fighting potentially unwanted programs over the past eight years. writes Google in a blog post.

“ We will continue to monitor user reactions and trends in the malware ecosystem, and when adversaries adapt their techniques again, which is sure to happen, we will be ready to intervene. “, promises the firm.

The Google Cleanup Tool is no longer necessary

The reasons for this early retirement are not surprising. Google explains that the digital landscape has changed, and that the tool is simply no longer necessary compared to other more developed systems today. Windows security has improved significantly since 2015, and can detect and block potentially dangerous systems before they are downloaded or installed on the PC.

Similarly, Google Safe Browsing, a service that warns users when they attempt to navigate to a site or download dangerous files, and which offers new techniques to block the theft of cookies, now makes it possible to prevent security risks more effectively. . ” Chrome user complaints about potentially malicious programs have continued to decline over the years, averaging around 3% of total complaints over the past year “says Google. Last month, only 0.06% of Chrome Cleanup Tool scans detected known unwanted software.

The company tells users that Google Safe Browsing will continue to protect them. They can also turn on Enhanced Protection in Chrome’s settings to make sure they’re even more protected.

Source : Google