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Is it safe to sign into Chrome on someone else's computer?

Rob

Rob

Galaxy S20 Ultra
News Moderator
Administrator
The beauty of Chrome - in many ways - is that when you sign in using a different device or computer, all of your "stuff" is there. This is especially great when you're left without your device and can use someone else's, picking up right where you left off.

Then I read a support page by Google:

Don't sign in to Chrome if you're using a public or untrusted computer. A copy of your data is stored on the computer you're using when you sign in, and other people who use the same computer can see it. To keep your information more secure, synced data is encrypted when it travels between your computer and Google's servers.

You may choose to also encrypt all your synced data. You can remove your synced data from your account at any time.

You can control what gets synced. Manage the data that get synced across devices.
Click to expand...

A copy of your data is stored on the computer you're using when you sign in? Can this be easily accessed by the computer's owner without knowing your password?

Obviously Google needs to download this information in order to "sync" but I'm still kind of curious as to the extent... and what is protected vs unprotected.

Anyone know?
 
dontpanicbobby said:
If you don't checl that box your password's not saved I'm pretty sure.
Click to expand...

But that passage seems to suggest that stuff is stored physically on the device when it syncs and can somehow be retrieved. It might not be full access to the information but I wonder what exactly is being stored in what format?
 
Always use Incognito mode when logging into your account on any computer that's not your own, and always be sure to quit the browser when you're done. When in Incognito mode the browser only saves everything (cookies, login info, cached data, etc.) temporarily, per session. That's why you need to remember to quit the browser.
 
That's good to know. I left Chrome browser open a few times with myself logged in and I'm pretty sure I'm not welcome at "WorldStar Hip Hop" should i actually ever go there.
Damn Co-workers.
 
With a Gmail log in, on your computer just scroll down to the bottom and click on the 'Details' link (tiny type in the bottom right), A box will pop up showing recent log ins and a button to disconnect any active remote log ins.
 
Keep in mind guys: I am NOT talking about logging into Chrome from someone else's computer...

I'm talking about logging into your Google Account from someone else's Chromebook (Google Pixelbook).

This is like the WIndows or Mac user login screen before you get to the desktop and before you can even open Chrome browser. Once you log in your Google account things begin to sync. You can turn off all sorts of syncing, but the syncing is desired/convenient. It's the question of what data is being saved locally onto the Chromebook/Pixelbook harddrive when you do so?
 
Oh. Well in that case no. Nothing to stop the next user from being you if you didn't log out. I can't think of any reason Google would change their browser policy because it's the OS. You are you to them.
 
dontpanicbobby said:
Oh. Well in that case no. Nothing to stop the next user from being you if you didn't log out. I can't think of any reason Google would change their browser policy because it's the OS. You are you to them.
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Yeah but supposing you DO log out. There is still data saved on the physical hard drive. I'm wondering where/what that data is?

Doesn't seem like I'm going to find an answer here lol... seems like I'm not communicating the idea clearly.
 
I think you are communicating very clearly Rob buddy and you have every reason to to concerned :)

I have also been concerned myself about this once or twice as well as it is a very important question to ask.

If you can preferably avoid using anyone else's computer as there could be all kinds of creepy spyware installed and you might have no idea that it is there.

At work once even though it was a giant company's computers they needed my banking details (to pay me) and because my phone was flat at the time I was too concerned (and rightfully so) to use their systems.

I used to plug in my USB on my work pc with my access card (they have very good security but even their systems had viruses) and WHAM! It (my usb) was then riddled / infected with viruses!

I was too scared to put any extremely valuable data (such as banking passwords) on their computers from what I had previously seen.

So I told them I will go home and get my details from my trusted pc and send it through later.

Be very very very careful of using other people's computers even when it's a massive giant corporation.

When I was there earlier this year there was a virus that went around. So just please be very careful my friend :)

Even though it was high tech and I extremely fancy there was still an issue because they were hacked . . Can you imagine th damage one could do if they got a hold of operations side of things? Freaking scary isn't it?

I hid the details of my access card (it has my I'D and name on it a all kinds o other details) for privacy sake.

There was also the retina scanner so if my card had be stolen or lost they would fail retina scanning.

What I am basically saying is - even if it seems high tech it can still be hacked or hit with with virus like what w had at one point.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sorry typi this from m phone again an an some strang reason if I type too fast it gets a bit confused haha lol :D
 
Stinky Stinky said:
I think you are communicating very clearly Rob buddy and you have every reason to to concerned :)

I have also been concerned myself about this once or twice as well as it is a very important question to ask.

If you can preferably avoid using anyone else's computer as there could be all kinds of creepy spyware installed and you might have no idea that it is there.
Click to expand...

Note that with a Chromebook the odds of issues like spyware and keystroke loggers are at best a very, very remote possibility. It just isn't like a desktop OS, like Windows or OS X/Mac OS, where some compromise can be installed into it, ChromeOS essentially exists as an online entity, continuously updated/altered, with your interface being through the Chrome browser.
 
Oh wow! Sorry I wasn't paying 110% attention I thought he meant chrome Web browser! :D

Lol I need a new brain - yes if it is chrome book then that is a different story!

I think it is Linux based is this correct?

Well maybe it is all on the cloud like you said?

Good possibility or chances are high
 
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