- Jul 22, 2014
- 2,525
https://gizmodo.com/it-s-time-to-audit-all-the-extensions-youve-installed-o-1831486181
A lot of what we do on our computers goes through the browser, and that means any extensions you choose to add on top of that browser have a very privileged position: They can see where you’re going online, they can see the data you’re passing to and from the web, and they can send and receive data themselves.
With that in mind, it’s essential that the add-ons you install are ones that you trust—most extensions are built and coded without malicious intent, but there are always going to be bad actors out there. As well as keeping the number of extensions you use down to an absolute minimum, you should also make yourself aware of what these extensions have permission to do.
Just like apps on your phone, browser add-ons have to be granted permissions, which are usually displayed when you install them. Most of the time there’s no granular control over these permissions—you either accept them or don’t install the add-on.
These permissions will often include accessing your bookmarks, browsing history, and the data on websites you access. In the majority of cases these permissions will be used to enable the add-ons functions—like identifying links and previewing them, for example—but if you’re not comfortable with this level of access, get rid of the extension.
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Below you’ll find an explanation of how to review and audit all the extensions you’ve installed in your browser.
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A lot of what we do on our computers goes through the browser, and that means any extensions you choose to add on top of that browser have a very privileged position: They can see where you’re going online, they can see the data you’re passing to and from the web, and they can send and receive data themselves.
With that in mind, it’s essential that the add-ons you install are ones that you trust—most extensions are built and coded without malicious intent, but there are always going to be bad actors out there. As well as keeping the number of extensions you use down to an absolute minimum, you should also make yourself aware of what these extensions have permission to do.
Just like apps on your phone, browser add-ons have to be granted permissions, which are usually displayed when you install them. Most of the time there’s no granular control over these permissions—you either accept them or don’t install the add-on.
These permissions will often include accessing your bookmarks, browsing history, and the data on websites you access. In the majority of cases these permissions will be used to enable the add-ons functions—like identifying links and previewing them, for example—but if you’re not comfortable with this level of access, get rid of the extension.
...
...
Below you’ll find an explanation of how to review and audit all the extensions you’ve installed in your browser.
...
...