However, even in Chrome that permissions management exists only in theory - in practice, it doesn’t work. Problem is, of the browsers people commonly use, only Google Chrome prompts the user to grant these permissions (or not) other browsers allow extensions to do anything they want by default, and the user doesn’t have a choice but to accept it. How can an extension can do something like that? Well, to do something, an extension requires permissions. That happens mostly with extensions that come from third-party websites, but sometimes - as in cases with Android and Google Play - malware sneaks into official markets as well.įor example, security researchers recently uncovered four extensions in the Google Chrome Web Store that posed as innocuous sticky notes apps but in fact were caught generating profits for their creators by secretly clicking on pay-per-click ads.
What can go wrong with extensions Malicious extensionsįirst of all, extensions can be downright malicious. But, as we’ve mentioned, extensions can be both convenient and dangerous.
They are widely available and some of them are quite helpful, so a lot of people end up using at least several extensions, and sometimes their number on one PC extends to several dozen.
Extensions are plenty - there’re hundreds or even thousands of them, for productivity, customization, shopping, games, and more.Īlmost all popular browsers support extensions - you can find them for Chrome and Chromium, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer, and Edge. Extensions can modify the user interface or add some Web service functionality to your browser.įor example, extensions are used to block ads on Web pages, translate text from one language to another, or add pages to a third-party bookmark service such as Evernote or Pocket. What are browser extensions, and why do you need them?Ī browser extension is something like a plugin for your browser that adds certain functions and features to it. But first let’s go through what exactly a browser extension is. Let’s discuss what’s wrong with browser extensions and how you can minimize the chances of one of them running amok on you. They add a lot of useful features to browsers, but at the same time, they pose threats to both privacy and security.
You are probably familiar with browser extensions, which most of us use on a daily basis.
0 kommentar(er)
