Chromebooks use the principle of "defense in depth" to provide
multiple layers of protection, so if any one layer is bypassed, others
are still in effect. So while it's still important to take precautions
to protect your data, Chromebooks let you breathe just a little bit
easier. Your Chromebook has the following security features built-in:
The most effective way to protect against malware is to ensure all
software is up-to-date and has the latest security fixes. This can be
difficult to manage on traditional operating systems with many software
components from many vendors all with different update mechanisms and
user interfaces. Chromebooks manage updates automatically so Chromebooks
are always running the latest and most secure version.
On a Chromebook, each web page and application runs in a restricted
environment called a "sandbox." If the Chromebook is directed to an
infected page, it can’t affect the other tabs or apps on the computer,
or anything else on the machine. The threat is contained.
Even if malware manages to escape the sandbox, the Chromebook is
still protected. Every time the Chromebook starts up, it does a
self-check called "Verified Boot." If it detects that the system has
been tampered with or corrupted in any way, typically it will repair
itself without any effort, taking the Chromebook back to an operating
system that’s as good as new.
When using web apps on a Chromebook, all important data is stored
safely in the cloud. Certain kinds of files, like downloads, cookies,
and browser cache files, may still be present on the computer. The
Chromebook encrypts this data using tamper-resistant hardware, making it
very difficult for anyone to access those files.
If anything goes wrong with a Chromebook, you can simply push a
button or use a quick keyboard combination to enter recovery mode and
restore the operating system to a known good version.
Check out the video below to learn more about the simple but
important steps you can take to improve the security of your Internet
browsing.