
Chrome Is Scanning Files on Your Computer (2018) - dfsdfklgjljg
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wj7x9w/google-chrome-scans-files-on-your-windows-computer-chrome-cleanup-tool
======
jasode
Unfortunately, that Chrome scanning utility overheated my 2011 Macbook Pro and
killed its graphics card. When the Chrome scan ran, it pegged the cpu at 100%
and caused the fans to spin up to a very loud full throttle. However, the
Macbook couldn't prevent the runaway overheating (the blue screen of striped
lines from the death of AMD graphics card). Yes, the Macbooks from 2011 are
notorious for having bad cooling design but everything was fine for 8 years
until Chrome killed a $3000 laptop.

Fyi, the executable is _" software_reporter_tool.exe"_ and it lives in:

    
    
      C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\SwReporter\
    

I've disabled it on all my computers using the tips from google searches:
[https://www.google.com/search?q=chrome+scan+"software_report...](https://www.google.com/search?q=chrome+scan+"software_reporter_tool.exe")

~~~
Crinus
That is Macbook's issue though, no software should be able to damage the
hardware, no matter what it does, unless there is a hardware flaw.

~~~
java-man
An update fried wi-fi on my iPhone 4S. Sometimes physical reality interferes
with expectations and idealizations.

~~~
java-man
or Rowhammer

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Row_hammer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Row_hammer)

------
lioeters
The title is alarming enough that I immediately searched for a way to block
it.

Apparently, this is only specific to Chrome on Windows:

> [it] looks through your computer in search of malware that targets the
> Chrome browser itself using ESET’s antivirus engine. If it finds some
> suspected malware, it sends metadata of the file where the malware is
> stored, and some system information, to Google. Then, it asks you to for
> permission to remove the suspected malicious file.

Seems fairly reasonable.. At least I'm not affected by it, being primarily on
Mac and Linux.

Another comment here mentions "Chrome scanning utility" on a MacBook though.
Ideally I wouldn't use Chrome at all, but I need it for developing and testing
web applications.

Just wanted to mention this open-source firewall (macOS application) called
Lulu, with which you can (mostly?) block Chrome and other apps/services from
phoning home behind the scenes.

[https://objective-see.com/products/lulu.html](https://objective-
see.com/products/lulu.html)

------
panpanna
I wonder if this happens on other platforms too...

I know that at least libreoffice on linux scans your files for some odd
reason...

~~~
kd913
People could always use the snap versions of libreoffice/browsers and either
limit access to the home directory or remove access to the network. It seems
the easiest way of applying a Android permission based model to Linux.

Alternatively, there are also firejail profiles which could be used for
restricting what these tools can do.

~~~
panpanna
The snap version has some limitations but I think that is the future.

And just because we maybe can contain it, it doesn't mean libreoffice devs
should be off the hook for reading private keys from my drive.

