Who is this for again?
Well, I hope it saves some innocent people a lot of grief. However, in the end it is really a Microsoft subsidy since it is their software which is getting the help from this.
Google says it's expanding its blacklist of malicious websites to include those that use deceptive claims to push harmful Windows programs. The addition to Google's Safe Browsing API will warn people when they are about to visit websites that offer Windows-based trojans that are disguised as screen savers or other innocuous …
And mine.
And any of the millions of non-geekie surfers.
Heck, a few of us geeks might benefit too once in a blue cheesy satellite. If for no other reason than one less support call from our respective mothers.
Now, I'm no fan of Microsoft, but surely you're not suggesting helpful improvements shouldn't be made by Google et.al. just because Microsoft stand to benefit from them as well?
FYI, Linux program files are not downloaded from various sites, but from trusted repositories. BSD uses the ports collection. Of course malicious code could find it's way into those, but this Chrome addition will not be able to flag that. I don't know how Mac people do it. Perhaps they are more promiscuous.
The article refers to Windows "executables" and those will not run on other OSs. Besides, you can't execute any file on *nix systems without the appropriate permissions and I don't think the people that this is aimed at are likely to be using chmod very much.
In short, this development is specifically aimed at Windows operating systems. Others are unlikely to get any benefit regardless of their inherent security.
Sorry, I was referring to the personal attack by the AC following your post. However, now that I got you on the line I'll comment on what you said. :)
Of course one can download untrusted *nix programs from all kinds of places but my point is that the people who know how to install (and often compile locally) from outside the repositories are not the people that Google is trying to protect here. In fact, most Linux users stick with the provided package management system so they will never see any benefit from this code.
Regarding your earlier comment about me perhaps thinking that helpful solutions shouldn't be provided by others. Of course not! I'm glad Google is doing this. Many people will benefit. I'm just suggesting that it is a bit of a free patch for Microsoft who seems to be slacking a bit on the issue of permissions. IOW, Google is not just doing their users a favour but helping Microsoft along too. I hope Microsoft appreciates it.