I've noticed that Chrome sometimes prerenders websites in the background for links it thinks I might click on. You can set this feature to 'Never', 'Only on WiFi', or 'Always'. My question is, could visiting a dangerous site via prerendering lead to getting a virus or malware? I assume it's possible, but I'd like to hear what you all think.
4 Answers
Keeping your browser updated is key! If Chrome is current, it's unlikely you'll face any issues.
The chances of picking up a virus just from visiting a site are practically zero. The real concern is with sites that can steal your cookies, which can expose your login information, or if you accidentally run random programs from sketchy sites.
As long as you don't download anything or enable any notifications from the site, you're generally safe from getting malware.
Malware from a web page usually requires a serious flaw in the browser. Thankfully, those are rare with Chrome, and prerendering isn't riskier than usual page rendering. In fact, it's often safer since certain actions are restricted during that process.
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