Don't Interrupt Me - A Large-Scale Study of On-Device Permission Prompt Quieting in Chrome

Marian Harbach

Network and Distributed System Security (NDSS) Symposium 2024 · Day 3 · Network Detection

This talk details a significant evolution in how Google Chrome manages user permission prompts, particularly for notifications and geolocation. Presented by Marian Harbach, the research introduces a novel machine learning (ML)-based activation mechanism for "quiet prompts," a UI treatment designed to reduce user interruption from unwanted permission requests. The work expands upon previous interventions by dramatically increasing the reach and efficacy of prompt quieting, aiming to improve the overall browsing experience without sacrificing security or user control.