Google is delaying a Chrome security update to minimize disruption while people are forced to work remotely, according to TechRadar. Back in February, Google started to implement an important change to limit the functionality of third-party cookies in Chrome. Launched in Chrome 80, the cookie changes were designed to help improve the privacy and security of users. But just two months later, Google is rolling back the changes to cookie handling citing the “extraordinary global circumstances due to Covid-19”.
This extraordinary pandemic has made the industry realise that the gold standard in security is difficult to adhere to in the current situation, and things have inevitably had to change. The argument will have been on the balance of which is more important: the functionality of the browser or its security – and, sadly, functionality won.
As it happens, this delay may give more websites the time they require to better prepare for the changes.