Article: Browser Extensions are a Privacy Nightmare: Stop Using So Many of Them
By: Chris Hoffman
Date Published: August 14, 2017
In the article by Chris Hoffman, he brings up the idea that extensions, like the ones that you can download through Google Chrome, are "more dangerous than most people realize." One of the largest reasons Hoffman gives the readers for why they are dangerous is due to the fact that we often give permission for the extension service to read or change everything that we are seeing on a web page. So, if an extension has the ability to access all the pages we visit along with everything on them, they have the potential to function as a keylogger. Hoffman made sure to include a note however, that just because they may not be tracking or recording what we are doing online, the fact that they have the ability to should scare us.
Along with the possibility of these extensions recording what we do online, there is also the chance that even an originally safe extension can end up spreading malware. How? Well, some web browsers "like Google Chrome, automatically update your installed browser extensions." Meaning, that if someone should attack the creators of an extension and send out an update filled with malware, very large problems could arise. So, what does Chris Hoffman offer for advice on minimizing the risk behind extensions? First, try to shrink the amount of extension linked to your browser "to minimize the chance of one of your installed extensions [going] bad." Second, only use extensions from companies that you trust, and make sure you pay attention to the permissions being requested when installing one.
None of this information came as a surprise to me in all honesty. Nowadays, with the more technology that we have, the higher the chances of being maliciously attacked in some form. I feel that the general public just needs to be aware that not everything can be protected and that they need to be taking safety procedures as well as companies who create these tools. Best thing to do is pay attention to what you agree to when applications are asking for permission for things, as well as making sure to have antivirus tools in place. Hopefully as the years go by, we continue to improve the security behind these apps and the sources that distribute them so they can catch any filled with malware before anyone downloads them. The best thing to do is to stay up to date with the news in case anything bad happens so individuals know how to protect themselves from any form of attack.
Article:
https://www.howtogeek.com/188346/why-browser-extensions-can-be-dangerous-and-how-to-protect-yourself/
Picture:
https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2358592,00.asp
By: Chris Hoffman
Date Published: August 14, 2017
In the article by Chris Hoffman, he brings up the idea that extensions, like the ones that you can download through Google Chrome, are "more dangerous than most people realize." One of the largest reasons Hoffman gives the readers for why they are dangerous is due to the fact that we often give permission for the extension service to read or change everything that we are seeing on a web page. So, if an extension has the ability to access all the pages we visit along with everything on them, they have the potential to function as a keylogger. Hoffman made sure to include a note however, that just because they may not be tracking or recording what we are doing online, the fact that they have the ability to should scare us.
Along with the possibility of these extensions recording what we do online, there is also the chance that even an originally safe extension can end up spreading malware. How? Well, some web browsers "like Google Chrome, automatically update your installed browser extensions." Meaning, that if someone should attack the creators of an extension and send out an update filled with malware, very large problems could arise. So, what does Chris Hoffman offer for advice on minimizing the risk behind extensions? First, try to shrink the amount of extension linked to your browser "to minimize the chance of one of your installed extensions [going] bad." Second, only use extensions from companies that you trust, and make sure you pay attention to the permissions being requested when installing one.None of this information came as a surprise to me in all honesty. Nowadays, with the more technology that we have, the higher the chances of being maliciously attacked in some form. I feel that the general public just needs to be aware that not everything can be protected and that they need to be taking safety procedures as well as companies who create these tools. Best thing to do is pay attention to what you agree to when applications are asking for permission for things, as well as making sure to have antivirus tools in place. Hopefully as the years go by, we continue to improve the security behind these apps and the sources that distribute them so they can catch any filled with malware before anyone downloads them. The best thing to do is to stay up to date with the news in case anything bad happens so individuals know how to protect themselves from any form of attack.
Article:
https://www.howtogeek.com/188346/why-browser-extensions-can-be-dangerous-and-how-to-protect-yourself/
Picture:
https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2358592,00.asp
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