Chrome Lock needs improvement

Google Chrome Logo

Google Chrome is a great browser and it has great speed and performance. A lot of people prefer it over Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft’s Internet explorer. I am also using Chrome from the day it is released. Latest versions from Chrome started offering utility of storing Usernames and Password for your different accounts at different websites. Saving password is a good utility and you get rid of typing passwords again and again when working with internet and opening websites frequently.

However Google Chrome doesn’t provide any security for your stored passwords. If you are working in such an office where you got combined desks or cabins. Consider you just got to go any other office room for five minutes and you don’t consider it important to Lock your computer or Log it off.  Or you got a personal computer that has no password and anyone got access to it in you absence. If it happens, someone evil from your colleagues or friends may enter your personal email account. Facebook account, your bank account or any other internet identity that you stored password in your browser.

There are 2 extensions available in Google Chrome extension database, both named Chrome Lock. One of them provided by by Aspire and another one provided by Derek.

Aspire claims

Lock your browser and don’t let other people use it without your permission!
You can not click or use the Tab button to highlight any element when it is locked,
scrolling is not allowed either.
Even if you open a new tab, reopen the browser or go to another website!

Derek claims

Locks Google Chrome and Prevents Unauthorized Usage.
You can not click or use any feature on the page when the lock is enabled

Unfortunately both are unable to fulfill their promises untill current versions of their extensions. Both extensions have minor difference but their functionality is very similar. Lets see by why they are not fulfilling their promises.

1. You passwords are stored in your computer.

2. You don’t want anyone to see your password or access your accounts with these passwords, so you lock your chrome browser with Chrome Lock extension. A lock sign appears and no one can access any website through it. Even if they open new tab and try to use Chrome’s password storage to access your account they will find a lock at every tab they open.

3. Anyone go to tools and options,

4. It gives another setting screen. In Personal Stuff tab, they got a button which enable them to see stored User accounts ans saved passwords.They click it and see your stored user names.

5. They select a single stored entery.

6. Now they click the button ‘Show Password’.

7. That’s it they found your password written below the button even though the Chrome Lock is enabled. They can see your password and open it in any other browser or any other computer.

Chrome lock extensions are useless in another way, when someone navigate to
Tools->Extensions

They got a list of extensions, if they simply disable Chrome lock extension, all of the so called security will go in vain.

I must say Chrome Lock guys should improve this software a little bit to make it really work for security.