This Chrome extension can help protect you from some of the worst online threats

ZoneAlarm Web Secure Free
(Image credit: Check Point)

Check Point has launched a new extension for Google Chrome called ZoneAlarm Web Secure Free that provides users with free protection against phishing attacks, malicious downloads and dangerous websites.

The new solution is an advanced Google Chrome extension that can help keep users safe online from multiple threats while they search and browse the web.

When a user adds the ZoneAlarm Web Secure Free extension to Chrome, ZoneAlarm Safe Search becomes their default search engine. The search engine utilizes Check Point's ThreatCloud database, which contains up-to-date global threat intelligence, to scan search results and rate them according to their potential risk.

Phishing and malware protection

ZoneAlarm's Web Secure Free also protects users' credentials against phishing attacks by using ZoneAlarm Zero-Phishing. The technology scans all websites before allowing users to input any personal information while also alerting them to any attempts to steal their personal data.

Check Point's new free security solution also utilizes ZoneAlarm's Threat Extraction technology to enable users to safely download documents from emails and the web. Threat Extraction automatically removes any suspect or malicious code from documents in seconds to ensure that an extracted file is completely safe without disturbing users.

The company adds that the service can help protect users from the recent surge in coronavirus-related scams online.

“We’ve found that Coronavirus-related domains are 50% more likely to be malicious than other domains," Check Point head of consumer sales Dror Levy said.

"Since the beginning of January, over 16,000 new coronavirus-related domains were registered and since the end of February 2020 the average number of new domains is almost 10 times more than found in previous weeks. Special offers are also being sold over the dark net under special offers with “COVID19” or “coronavirus” as discount codes.”

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Anthony Spadafora

After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.