{"id":122079,"date":"2020-11-28T09:40:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-28T06:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/why-arent-viruses-a-problem-on-chrome-os\/"},"modified":"2020-11-28T09:40:00","modified_gmt":"2020-11-28T06:40:00","slug":"why-arent-viruses-a-problem-on-chrome-os","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-arent-viruses-a-problem-on-chrome-os\/","title":{"rendered":"#Why Aren\u2019t Viruses a Problem on Chrome OS?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a1c2de3441\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a1c2de3441\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-arent-viruses-a-problem-on-chrome-os\/#What_Is_a_Computer_Virus\" >What Is a Computer Virus?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-arent-viruses-a-problem-on-chrome-os\/#What_Makes_Chrome_OS_Secure\" >What Makes Chrome OS Secure?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-arent-viruses-a-problem-on-chrome-os\/#Is_Chrome_OS_Vulnerable_to_Anything\" >Is Chrome OS Vulnerable to Anything?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-arent-viruses-a-problem-on-chrome-os\/#How_to_Stay_Safe_on_Chrome_OS\" >How to Stay Safe on Chrome OS<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#Why Aren\u2019t Viruses a Problem on Chrome OS?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-700120 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xChrome-OS-anti-virus-hero.png.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.LWH7QWYNhU.png\" alt=\"The chrome logo.\" width=\"650\" height=\"300\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Chrome OS has a reputation for being virus-proof. Google likes to boast about how secure its operating system is compared to others. Are Chromebooks really immune to viruses, though? And, if so, how do they achieve this? Allow us to explain.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_a_Computer_Virus\"><\/span>What Is a Computer Virus?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>First, let\u2019s consider what a computer virus actually is. Viruses fall under the umbrella of \u201cmalware.\u201d They\u2019re destructive because they inject a code into a file (usually, one that\u2019s executable), and when that file is run, the malicious code is released.<\/p>\n<p>Once the code is released on your system, it can do any number of malicious things, like destroy data, overwrite files, or even replicate itself and spread to other systems.<\/p>\n<p>Typically, though, these viruses target specific systems. So, a virus that infects a Windows EXE file isn\u2019t going to do much on a Chromebook because it\u2019s incapable of running EXE files.<\/p>\n<p>This is why the majority of viruses target the most popular platforms, like Windows.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>Does Your Computer Have a Virus? Here&#8217;s How to Check<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Makes_Chrome_OS_Secure\"><\/span>What Makes Chrome OS Secure?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are a few features that make Chrome OS more secure than other operating systems. The most important, perhaps, is how easy it is to update the system. Chrome OS is always checking for updates, and they can be installed in a matter of minutes. Being on the latest version ensures you have up-to-date security and protection.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Chromebooks perform a sort of self-check every time you reboot. The system checks for modifications that put security at risk. If any such modifications are found, the system repairs itself.<\/p>\n<p>The real secret sauce in Chrome OS\u2019s security is sandboxing. This means every browser window, extension, or Android <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a> runs in its own isolated environment and can\u2019t access the system. So, if a virus does happen to infect one sandbox, everything else will still be safe.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Chrome_OS_Vulnerable_to_Anything\"><\/span>Is Chrome OS Vulnerable to Anything?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Viruses are just one type of malware, though. Chrome OS <em>is<\/em> vulnerable to others, like malicious extensions, bad Android apps, and phishing sites. You can also put your system at risk if you choose to run an extension \u201cunsandboxed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These other types of malware aren\u2019t unique to Chrome OS, though\u2014anyone who uses the Chrome browser or an Android device is susceptible to them. If you install Android or Linux apps on your Chromebook, they create more of a security risk, albeit a small one.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Stay_Safe_on_Chrome_OS\"><\/span>How to Stay Safe on Chrome OS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Below are some tips to keep your Chromebook safe:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Watch out for phishing and other scams:<\/strong>\u00a0Chrome OS is, essentially, just a web browser, so it doesn\u2019t protect you from malicious tricks on the web. For example, you can still be tricked into providing private information to a scam website.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t download Chrome extensions from third parties:<\/strong>\u00a0Google does a pretty good job of keeping the Chrome Web Store secure, so only download extensions from there.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Avoid Developer Mode:<\/strong>\u00a0This can be a powerful tool, especially for running Linux apps. However, it does make Chrome OS more vulnerable, and most people don\u2019t need it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keep your Chromebook updated:<\/strong>\u00a0When you see a Chrome OS update is available, don\u2019t put it off\u2014install it as soon as possible to ensure you have the latest protections. Chromebooks do automatically download and install updates, but you often have to reboot to finish the process. Don\u2019t put it off!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/700115\/why-arent-viruses-a-problem-on-chrome-os\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Why Aren\u2019t Viruses a Problem on Chrome OS?&#8221; Chrome OS has a reputation for being virus-proof. Google likes to boast about how secure its operating system is compared to others. Are Chromebooks really immune to viruses, though? And, if so, how do they achieve this? Allow us to explain. What Is a Computer Virus? First,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":122080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/thumbcache\/2\/200\/a846bae585f34ce1260cf7561e973629\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Chrome-OS-anti-virus-hero.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122079","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=122079"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122079\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/122080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=122079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=122079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=122079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}