Google is rolling out a two-stage warning system in Chrome to alert users before they visit potentially malicious websites. The feature activates when Chrome's Enhanced Protection mode is enabled.
The system distinguishes between two threat levels. Websites flagged as "suspicious" trigger a pop-up warning on both desktop and mobile, with the underlying webpage visible but darkened. Users can dismiss the warning or select "Mark as safe" if they believe the site was incorrectly flagged. Google describes these warnings as having "lower confidence verdict" with "possible risk of user harm," meaning the site might be mistakenly flagged but users should only proceed if they are certain the site is safe.
Websites classified as "dangerous" receive a more forceful warning. The notification takes up nearly the entire screen with a solid red background, replacing the webpage itself. Google assigns these warnings a "higher confidence verdict" and "high risk of user harm," and recommends users avoid these sites entirely.
The suspicious site warnings flag websites that share qualities with pages known to host phishing schemes, malware, and scams. Google built the two-stage system to make threat severity easier to distinguish at a glance, following a similar approach it introduced for Chrome file downloads in 2024.
Google also enhanced scam detection for Enhanced Protection users through Gemini-powered tools alongside the warning redesign. The Verge reports the update rolled out in October 2024.