Study Finds Thousands of Browser Extensions Compromise User Data

Browser extensions, the software add-ons that help users customize and enhance their web browsers, are wildly popular. Some of the most-used extensions find shopping deals, fix grammar and typos, manage passwords, or translate web pages. The types of extensions available are nearly endless, and many have become indispensable tools for businesses and everyday users.

While these extensions can make web browsing more accessible, productive, and rewarding, they are not without risk. New research from Georgia Tech reveals that thousands of browser extensions pose significant threats to privacy, and hundreds automatically extract private user content from within webpages — affecting millions of internet users.