Recently, we received a message that we will no longer receive updates from the Acer Chromebook C720 because we no longer support Chromebooks that are more than 6 years old. Surf the Internet, send e-mails and send them as e-mail attachments to create documents. The machine is still working as it was when first purchased and is reluctant for a new machine.
I know I can install a new operating system myself, but I can't really bother. The first time I bought a Chromebook was due to ease of use, simplicity and stability. What is the risk of continuing to use it without receiving any more updates? bill
There is no way to assess the risk based on who is using the Chromebook and how careful they are. Most attacks today require some sort of user assistance. This could mean, among other things, installing fake Android apps with hidden features, installing fake Chrome extensions, visiting malicious websites, phishing attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks and failing to install mandatory security updates. There is.
You will surely miss the required security update for your Chrome browser. However, while the security history of Chrome OS is very good, I don't know in advance what kind of vulnerabilities Chrome has or if it can be exploited on unpatched Chromebooks.
Also, you won't know the time until the obsolete version of Chrome can't cope with the new web technology or the website won't work with the website.
For schools and companies using Chromebooks, Google fixes potential additional issues. “Business and education customers using devices that have passed the AUE [Auto Update Expiration] Dates shouldn't be that you can use the Google Admin console to manage your device as expected or take advantage of new management features that have been released. ”
Either way, simple web browsing may not be much more dangerous than usual and there are ways to make it more secure. But if you use your device for financial operations without 2-step verification, or if your email is full of personal medical and financial information, passwords, etc., you'll think again. The risk may be low, but the stakes are higher.
The new Chromebook is cheaper than getting 50,000 pounds from your bank account.
Chromebook update
Google released the Chromebook in 2011, but the initial model was pretty scary, few people bought it, and the relatively short lifespan (about 4 years) was not that important. Since then, Chromebooks have greatly improved Windowsy look and feel, touch screen support, and access to Google Play with the ability to run Android apps. Google assumes you need to test an older version of Chromebook and a Chromebox (about 150 devices) to run a newer version of Chrome OS. Supporting all Chrome OS devices forever by Google is time consuming, expensive and ultimately impossible.
In 2016, Google introduced an End of Life (EOL) policy that provides support for five years. About a year later, the name was changed to a name that does not mean AUE (Auto Update Expiration), which has been deprecated, and support for the new Chromebook has been extended to 6.5 years.
This is a reasonable lifetime compared to a laptop running Windows or macOS. Some people use laptops longer, but they waste more time than buying new machines. (Assuming of course there is money.)
The point is that the AUE period begins when the manufacturer buys, not when buying the Chromebook platform. You can buy a new Chromebook at the lowest price, but if it's based on a three year old platform, it's only supported for three and a half years, not six and a half years.
Theoretically, Chromebook manufacturers can continue to ship the same platform for more than five years. Old specs should warn potential buyers, but typical Chromebook users may not follow industry hardware trends. Therefore, all buyers should check the Google AUE page for the end of support date.
In fact, the AUE date should be prominently displayed in the Chromebook ad. According to the Google AUE page, if you want to spend £ 1,699.99 on a Google Pixelbook and £ 1,738 on a Google Pixel Slate, I'd definitely like to know that support will cease in June 2024.
C720 options
Most Chromebooks are cheap and relatively low power, so they are expected to slow down after six and a half years. Web pages using javascript continue to grow and Chrome creates more processes than just having tabs open, using low-end chips and wasting memory.
However, the Acer Chromebook C720 may have a dual-core 1.4GHz Celeron 2955U laptop processor, which is a core design rather than an inexpensive Atom-based or ARM chip. Not farther than the Celeron N4000, but hotter and uses about twice as much electricity. Neverware & # 39; s can be repurposed to run Linux or Microsoft Windows such as CloudReady, GalliumOS. I don't want to do this but I know other users can do it.
CloudReady works very much like a Chromebook, but it's actually meant to rescue old Windows and Mac laptops. The compatibility list for Neverware does not include Chromebooks. But if you open the case and remove the & # 39; write-protect & # 39; screw on the Chromebook and flash the firmware, you can run the case.
Brian, an Ask Jack reader, said he used MrChromebox's firmware utility script to convert an unsupported Acer C710 Chromebook to UEFI. After booting to the USB thumb drive, he said, “I installed the cloudware and it doesn't seem to make a difference with Chrome OS. Google sent all your bookmarks and automatically installed apps and extensions using the same account information. "
The C720 is on the list of supported Chromebooks, but readers should check first.
Warning: This kind of thing can "break through" your Chromebook. You can rescue it but do this entirely at your own risk.
Problem mitigation
Chromebooks were originally designed to do everything online, so your device should have very little privacy. The C720 has a full size SD card slot, so you need to store backups of your essential files in this storage format that can be easily removed. Just plug in the card only when you need it and there is little to lose.
You can minimize the amount of information stored on your Chromebook by turning on privacy settings and turning off features like saving web passwords and auto filling web forms. You can also browse in guest mode. Basically it means starting with a new user every time. The downside is that you have to log in to each website every time and it doesn't save your settings.
Chrome OS has over 50 security vulnerabilities. However, Google offers an offer of $ 150,000 (120,000 pounds) for users who may compromise their Chromebook or Chromebox with device persistence in guest mode (inter-guest persistence with interim reboots available via a web page). . No one has collected it so that the access is relatively safe.
If you select some form of malware, you'll see & # 39; Show advanced settings… & # 39; You can reset your Chromebook to factory settings using the Powerwash feature at the bottom of the page. Of course, this will remove all files and settings, so you may not use them often, but I recommend using the option.
Have a question? Email us at Ask.Jack@theguardian.com
The article includes an affiliate link, which allows readers to click and buy for a small fee. All our journalism is independent and unaffected by any advertisers or commercial initiatives. By clicking on the affiliate link, you agree to the setting of third-party cookies. Additional Information.
.