Chrome 70 arrives with fingerprint login for websites, extension controls, and 23 security fixes
Google has released Chrome 70, which addresses several high severity security issues, and brings new support for logging in using a devices fingerprint reader.
Google didn’t announce a new Pixelbook with the rumored addition of a fingerprint reader, but the it did launch the Pixel Slate, which has a fingerprint reader built into the power button, making it the first Chrome OS device that allows users to unlock the device with a fingerprint.
Chrome 70, launched today, builds on Chrome support for the industry-wide Web Authentication standard, which is designed to let browser users sign into websites and web applications using a fingerprint or face scanned by a device’s biometric sensors. It also supports Bluetooth keys, such as Google’s Titan keys.
Chrome 70 is the first version of Chrome that by default allows users to sign in to a site via a MacBook Pro’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor and fingerprint sensors on an Android device.
Google hasn’t detailed what Chrome support for Web Authentication is available for the Chrome OS Pixel Slate, though it’s unlikely it wouldn’t be supported in some way. The Pixel Slate has a built-in Google Titan chip and Web Authentication supports security keys like Google's Titan keys, which come in a variant that connects via USB and another that connects via Bluetooth.
Chrome 70 also introduces recently announced controls to restrict the behavior of Chrome extensions that users can add from the Chrome Web Store. Users will be able to control which extensions can request permission to read and change site data. In conjunction with the new controls, Google also imposed a ban on obfuscated code within extension packages.
Google will announce further features and improvements in the coming weeks, but in the meantime Chrome users should probably update to Chrome 70 because of the 23 security flaws this version plugs.
The update addresses five high severity flaws, including a Sandbox escape in Chromes AppCache, and a remote code execution flaw in Chromes V8 Java Script engine.
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