The tech giant Google “recommends switching to Chrome to use extensions securely.” That is quite strange, as the new Microsoft Edge is now based on Chromium. You can simply install extensions from the Chrome Web Store in Edge. However, Google Say Chrome Is More Secure Than Edge.
Why Does Google Warn Against Edge?
Google shows you a warning message when you navigate to the Chrome Web Store in the new Microsoft Edge. The Google Chrome Web Store will let you install extensions in Edge.
However, it will show a big banner reading “Google recommends switching to Chrome to use extensions securely” along with a link to download Google Chrome.
So what gives and why does Google think Microsoft Edge is a less secure platform for extensions than Google Chrome is. Moreover given that both are based on the same underlying Chromium code.
Google will not say. The warning message also provides no links for additional information and Google hasn’t explained its rationale publicly. Bleeping Computer asked Google to explain the message however didn’t get any response.
Here’s one theory: Malicious extensions regularly pop up in the Chrome Web Store. When they are discovered, Google can do more than just removing them from the Store.
Google can also remotely disable them in everyone’s Chrome browser, ensuring Chrome users are not still using that malicious software. It is just like how Apple can remotely delete a malicious app on your iPhone if it needs to do so.
This happened recently, in February 2020, Google discovered more than 500 malicious extensions on the Chrome Web Store. Then it removed them from the Store, and remotely disabled them on people’s PCs to keep Chrome users pretty safe.
Microsoft has also stripped a lot of the Google services code out of Microsoft Edge. So it’s quite possible that Google has no way to remotely disable malicious extensions in Microsoft Edge browsers.
Microsoft Edge Also Warns Against the Chrome Web Store
Microsoft also warns against using the Chrome Web Store. Before you install extensions from the Chrome Web Store in Edge, you have to agree to a message.
The message warns that “Extensions installed from sources other than the Microsoft Store are unverified, and may affect browser performance.”
In a world where Microsoft’s Edge warns against Google’s Chrome Web Store, hence it is no surprise that the Chrome Web Store also warns against Edge.
It would be really nice if Google and Microsoft figured this out between the two of them and offered up some clear, useful information to their customers. Google should explain this cryptic warning message however, we are not sure if the company will.