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Google plans new browser tools on privacy and ad transparency

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Google recently announced plans to introduce new internet browser tools in the coming months that limit how a users’ web activity is tracked by advertising companies while delivering greater insight into why they are targeted by certain ads.

“Our experience shows that people prefer ads that are personalised to their needs and interests—but only if those ads offer transparency, choice and control,” said Prabhakar Raghavn, Google’s senior vice president for ads and commerce, in a recent blog post.

The new feature would allow Chrome browser users to delete cookies, which are the virtual trackers that websites and businesses use to document your browsing behaviour for data collection and re-marketing purposes, without also removing the cookies that remember passwords and enable easy login for websites, Google said. This announcement comes amid a time where increased public scrutiny is forcing Silicon Valley to be more transparent.

Google also mentioned a separate add-on, which will work across multiple browsers, that lists businesses involved in delivering ads to users, which also included intermediaries who are between the advertisers the publishers.

 

 

Google moves us toward a more secure web

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For many years, Google has endeavoured to make a more secure web by recommending that sites adopt HTTPS encryption, as well as helped users understand that HTTP sites are not secure by marking larger subsets of HTTP pages as “not secure”.

Commencing this month, July 2018, with the release of Chrome 68, Chrome will mark all HTTP sites as “not secure”.

Chrome treatment of HTTP pages

Developers have been converting their sites to HTTPS and making the web a safer place for everyone, which has resulted in:

  • Over 68% of Chrome traffic on both Android and Windows now being protected
  • Over 78% of Chrome traffic on both Chrome OS and Mac now being protected
  • 81 of the top 100 sites on the web now using HTTPS by default

Chrome is striving to make the setup and conversion to HTTPS as easy as possible. Mixed content audits are now available to help developers migrate their sites to HTTPS in the latest Node CLI version of Lighthouse. Lighthouse is an automated tool for helping to improve web pages. The new audit in Lighthouse helps developers locate the resources a site loads using HTTP, and which of those are ready to be upgraded to HTTPS by simply changing the subresource reference to the HTTPS version.

The new Chrome interface will help move the web towards a secure HTTPS web by default by helping users understand that all HTTP sites are not secure. HTTPS unlocks both performance improvements and powerful new features that are too sensitive for HTTP, all while being cheaper and easier than ever before.

Developers can view Google’s set-up guides here to get started.

If you have any security or network concerns, you can learn more about what network security is and the benefits of securing and monitoring your network.

 

eStorm Australia is an IT managed service provider headquartered in Brisbane. We partner with your business and provide IT solutions and services that suit your specific requirements. Our solutions include a variety of services that are critical to overall business success and competitive advantage.

If you need any information, or to find out exactly how we can help your business – contact us anytime on (07) 3120 0640 or email us at [email protected]. If you are located outside of Brisbane: Sydney: (02) 9188 5148 – Melbourne: (03) 9088 6431.

In need of our other IT support and managed services? We specialise in Managed Cloud Services, IT Support Services, Managed Network Services, Business Telephony, Hardware and Software Procurement and Education Services.

 

Source: https://security.googleblog.com/2018/02/a-secure-web-is-here-to-stay.html

Google OnHub, Google’s first Wifi Router

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Today Google have released their first Wifi Router for homes, the Google OnHub, designed to improve internet speed and guide the future of Wifi connectivity.

The cylinder-shaped router, named OnHub, comes with 13 in-built antennas that scan the airwaves to find the fastest connection available.

OnHub allows users to prioritise a device so that they can get the fastest internet speeds possible for data-heavy activities such as streaming movies.

Based on the specifications, the OnHub certainly has what it takes to make a good home router. It supports 802.11ac, the latest and greatest type of wi-fi communication tech. It’s an AC1900 router, which means it supports wireless communications of up to 1,900Mbits/sec, with 600Mbits/sec supplied across the 2.4GHz spectrum and the remaining 1,300Mbits/sec delivered over 5GHz.

Google have said that the OnHub will automatically update itself when new features arrive and the latest security is upgraded.

The OnHub comes days after Google’s announcement of their new parent company ‘Alphabet’. Alphabet is the parent company that will house Google and its subsidiary companies. It looks as though household devices will come under the Alphabet company.

Last year Google purchased Nest, a smart thermostat maker, in hopes to lead the way with how household devices link to each other and electricity grids.

It is expected that the global market for “Internet of Things”, the concept of connecting household devices to the Internet, will nearly triple to US$1.7 trillion by 2020. The OnHub appears to be Google’s attempt at being industry leaders in this movement. The OnHub has been created with the technology to connect to household products when they eventually come equipped with Wifi.

For more information on the specifications of the OnHub, see CRN’s report.

At this stage it has not been confirmed when Google’s OnHub will be for sale in Australia, but it is currently retailing for $199 in the US.