Chrome 69, the latest version of the Google browser which is now 10 years old, has a number of value-adding new features, including the ability to automatically generate strong passwords.

Improved Password Manager

This latest version of Chrome has an improved password manager that is perhaps more fitting of the browser that is favoured by 60% of browser users, many of whom still rely upon using very weak passwords. For example, the most commonly used passwords in 2017 were reported to be 123456, password, 12345678 and qwerty.

The updated password manager in Chrome 69 hopes to make serious inroads into this most simple of human errors by recommending strong passwords when users sign up for websites or update settings. The Chrome 69 password manager will suggest passwords incorporating at least one lowercase character, one uppercase character and at least one number, and where websites require symbols in passwords it will be able to add these. Users will be able to manually edit the Chrome-generated password, and when Google is generating the password, every time users click away from its suggestion, a new one is created. Chrome 69 will then store the password on a laptop or phone so that users don’t have to write it down or try and remember it (as long as they are using the same device).

Other Features

Other new and improved features of Chrome 69 include:

• Faster and more accurate form-filling: Google says that because information such as passwords, addresses and credit card numbers are saved in a user’s Google account and can be accessed directly from the from the Chrome toolbar, Chrome can make it much easier and faster to fill-out online checkout forms.
• Combined search and address bar (improvements): In Chrome 69, users will have a combined search and address bar (the Omnibox), which shows the answers directly in the address bar without users having to open a new tab, thereby making it more convenient. Also, if there are several tabs open across three browser windows, for example, a search in the Omnibox will tell users if that website’s already open and will allow navigation straight to it with “Switch to tab”. Google says that users will soon also be able to search files from your Google Drive directly in the Omnibox too.
• CSS Snap: This feature allows developers to create smoother browsing experiences. It does this by telling the browser where to stop after each scrolling operation, and is particularly useful for displaying carousels and paginated sections to guide users to the next slide or section.

Put The www. Back!

There was some controversy and protests from some Chrome users over the way that, in order to take account of the limited space on mobile screens, and for greater security (to stop confusion with phishing URLs), version 69 of Chrome has been made to no longer show the www. part of a URL (and the m. on mobiles) in the address bar. It is worth mentioning at this point that Apple’s Safari also hides URL characters. Some critics of Google’s move to this system have said that it could confuse users into thinking that they’re at the wrong website.

Other Criticism

Some more cynical/informed commentators have suggested that the change in URL display is actually more to do with AMP system and AMP cache which benefits the advertising side of Google’s business.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

The changes in Chrome 69 that encourage and facilitate the use of much stronger passwords may be a little overdue, but it has to be good news for the security of all Chrome users. The speedier form-filling will also be a time-saver in an age where many people now carry out many of their daily transactions online and on mobile devices.

Even though stronger passwords are a good thing, security has now moved on again from those, because they have been found to be less secure than biometrics and other access methods.

The new Chrome 69 has been released, but so has the beta version of Chrome 70, and it remains to be seen how security is upgraded yet again in subsequent versions as cyber-crime threats become more wide-ranging and sophisticated.