Google is reportedly engaged on a brand new warning message for Google Messages that may stop customers from falling for a phishing rip-off or unknowingly putting in malware on their gadgets. This function will probably be triggered each time the person clicks on a hyperlink despatched by a quantity not saved within the Contacts. The brand new warning message is claimed to require customers to take an additional step to tick a field containing a warning message earlier than persevering with to the web site. Notably, a latest report revealed that Google Messages’ under-development satellite tv for pc messaging function might provide two-way communication.

Based on a report by PiunikaWeb (by way of tipster AssembleDebug), the function was noticed with the Google Messages app in RCS chats. Whereas Google Messages does already present a warning textual content when clicking on URLs despatched by unknown numbers, it’s a easy “Do you belief the Sender” warning the place customers can click on on proceed and open the hyperlink. The brand new pop-up warning comes with a two-step course of which might be designed to assist customers pause earlier than they resolve whether or not they wish to proceed or not.

Primarily based on the screenshots shared by the tipster, the brand new warning is labelled extra explicitly and says, “Warning: this sender is not one among your contacts”, and provides the message, “Hyperlinks from those who you do not know could open undesirable and dangerous content material”. In case the person nonetheless needs to proceed, they should tick a field which states “I perceive this hyperlink could also be dangerous”. If the person decides to not open the hyperlink, they will faucet on the ‘Cancel’ button.

Because the function itself was present in RCS mode, it seemingly works for traditional SMS as properly. A remark posted on AssembleDebug’s post on X (previously referred to as Twitter) confirmed that warning appeared even when clicked on a hyperlink despatched by the person’s financial institution. The function is predicted to quickly roll out to Android customers globally.

This warning might doubtlessly save lots of people from falling for phishing scams. For the unversed, a phishing rip-off is a sort of on-line rip-off the place the attacker impersonates as a well-known particular person to the sufferer or as a consultant of an establishment and asks the person to click on on a hyperlink. The web site similar to the hyperlink typically resembles a respectable web site and asks the person to register. However as soon as the account id and password are entered, it’s delivered to the scammers, who can then use it to entry the accounts themselves.