Google Chrome’s autofill is unsafe, may allow websites to steal credit card information

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Autofill in Google Chrome, the feature that lets you save your information inside Chrome and automatically fill in online forms, is very convenient, but what if this convenience could send credit card information to web servers? It’s very possible, and this is something users should be aware of if they store such information within their Google Chrome web browser.

According to a Yoast report by Joost de Valk, web developers could simply request users to sign up to a newsletter with all the necessary sign-up fields available. However, that same developer could attach a separate field for credit card information, but the user wouldn’t know this because it’s hidden from sight.

A pretty clever trick if you ask us, one that could really come in handy if someone wants to swipe few credit card information from unsuspecting users on the web.

Now, it’s not all that terrible to use autofill if you don’t stoer financial information with it, but if you use your credit card quite often online, you might want to think twice about having it on. Our advice to you? Turn that thing off and save yourself the trouble. Here’s how to do it young Padawan.

Fire up your Chrome web browser, go to settings, click on the advanced tab, then uncheck autofill under Password and Forms. That’s it, you’re now safe from harm.

Moreover, if you really want to have your credit card information automatically appear in some text box on the Internet, you can try LastPass. It’s more secure than Google Chrome’s data and password management, and it also gives the user more control.

[via Yoast]

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