Browser extensions offer productivity and customization for users, but many require excessive permissions that can lead to data breaches and attacks.
Poor coding and profit-driven decisions can make extensions risky, necessitating awareness of potential threats to safeguard personal data.
Chrome extensions can access and manipulate online activities, posing risks such as data extraction and redirection to malicious sites.
Many extensions lack privacy policies, giving developers freedom to handle sensitive user data without clear guidelines.
Some extensions request broad permissions enabling extensive tracking of user web activity, exacerbating security vulnerabilities.
Instances of malicious Chrome extensions being discovered, even within the official Web Store, highlight ongoing security challenges.
Security issues like bad code, excessive permissions, and lack of maintenance make extensions vulnerable to exploitation by cyber attackers.
Regularly reviewing and uninstalling unnecessary extensions, avoiding tools with excessive permissions, and updating active extensions are crucial security practices.
Some extensions have been found collecting browsing data covertly, leading to concerns about unauthorized data usage and privacy breaches.
Users should exercise caution when installing extensions by scrutinizing permissions, monitoring extension usage, and opting for actively maintained tools.