Malwarebytes says its Browser Guard extension can rate search results and examine webpages for scam signs in Chrome. The checks may help, but a good rating is not proof a site is safe.
In 60 seconds
- People using Browser Guard should care because convincing scam pages can appear in ordinary search results.
- Look for the Browser Guard extension, then search with Google, DuckDuckGo, Brave, or Bing for ratings beside results.
- In Chrome, use Scam Guard Lite to examine a suspicious page before entering information.
- Do not treat a green “Good” rating as proof that a website is safe.
Who should care and what to do now
This matters to people who search the web for banking, shopping, school, work, or support services. A familiar-looking search result can lead to a scam page that asks for a password, payment, or urgent action.
Malwarebytes says its Browser Guard extension now adds Search Reputation. The feature places a rating beside results in Google, DuckDuckGo, Brave, and Bing. To check whether you use it, look for the Browser Guard icon among your browser extensions and run a search in one of those services.
If you are already on a page that seems suspicious, Malwarebytes says Chrome users can open the Browser Guard extension and select Scam Guard Lite. The feature examines the page without requiring you to copy a link, take a screenshot, or leave the page.
Do not enter sensitive information just because a result receives a green “Good” rating. Malwarebytes says that rating is not a guarantee.
What the new checks mean
Search Reputation gives search results a quick label. Malwarebytes says green “Good” means the site appears safe according to its reputation database. A red “Malicious” rating means Malwarebytes has identified the site as unsafe.
The extension may still warn about or block a page after a green rating, according to Malwarebytes. New scam pages may appear before a reputation database has recorded them.
Scam Guard Lite works from the Browser Guard extension in Google Chrome. Malwarebytes says it analyzes the webpage on the device using a large language model, or LLM—a type of software that examines patterns in text and produces a response. The company says Browser Guard downloads Gemini to the device the first time the feature is used. It also says browsing history is not saved or sent to an AI cloud.
These features are warning and review tools. They do not replace checking the web address, slowing down, or contacting a business through a trusted route.
How to respond to a suspicious page
A red “Malicious” rating is a reason to stop. Close the page rather than trying to work around the rating. If you already entered a password, change it through the real service’s known website and review recent account activity. Those are general safety steps, not actions described by Malwarebytes in this announcement.
If a page claims your computer is infected, demands urgent payment, or asks you to call a number, do not use the number shown on that page. Find the organization’s contact information from a bill, card, official app, or address you already trust.
Malwarebytes also describes a full Scam Guard feature in its dashboard for reviewing suspicious emails and links. The announcement says that full version is available with Malwarebytes Premium Security and in the Malwarebytes apps for iOS and Android. That is separate from the Browser Guard features described above.
No tool catches every new scam. If a request involves money or account access, leave the page and verify it through a contact method you already trust.
Does this affect me?
- Who may be affected
- People who use Malwarebytes Browser Guard, especially Chrome users who may use Scam Guard Lite. The features may also matter to families, remote workers, and small offices that follow search results to account or payment pages.
- How to check
- Look among your browser extensions for Browser Guard. If it is installed, search with Google, DuckDuckGo, Brave, or Bing and look for ratings beside results; in Chrome, open the extension to see whether Scam Guard Lite is available.
- What to do
- Pause on a suspicious page and use Browser Guard’s Scam Guard Lite in Chrome, or leave the page and contact the organization through a trusted website, app, bill, or phone number.
- What to avoid
- Do not treat a green “Good” rating as proof, enter sensitive information into an urgent page, or call a phone number displayed in a warning or pop-up.
Common questions
Does a green Browser Guard rating mean a website is definitely safe?
No. Malwarebytes says a green “Good” rating means the site appears safe in its reputation database, not that the site is guaranteed safe. New threats may not be listed yet, and Browser Guard may still warn or block the page after the rating appears.
Can I use Scam Guard Lite on my phone or in another browser?
The announcement specifically describes Scam Guard Lite as available through the Browser Guard extension in Google Chrome. Malwarebytes separately says its full Scam Guard is available with Premium Security and in its iOS and Android apps.
Does Scam Guard Lite require me to send a webpage or screenshot to Malwarebytes?
Malwarebytes says Scam Guard Lite examines the webpage from the extension without asking you to copy a link, take a screenshot, or leave the page. It also says the analysis happens on the device and browsing history is not saved or sent to an AI cloud.
Primary source
This article is based on Malwarebytes Labs, “New Browser Guard features add protection before and after you click,” published September 24, 2026: https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/product/2026/09/new-browser-guard-features-add-protection-before-and-after-you-click Read the complete original source.
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Article history: Published Sep 24, 2026 at 9:07 am EDT. Updates and corrections are noted here when material facts change.
