Malicious Browser Extensions: Protect Your Browser

Blog Title:  Malicious browser extensions caught spying on 2 million users

This is a serious issue that’s been making headlines.

Here’s a quick summary of what happened and how to protect yourself:

🕵️‍♂️ Malicious Browser Extensions Spying on 2+ Million Users
🚨 What Happened:
Several browser extensions, mostly from Chrome and Edge Web Stores, were found tracking user activity, including:

Every site visited (including secure pages)
Keystrokes and search queries
Personal and business-related credentials
Download history
These extensions were downloaded over 2 million times before being removed from stores.

🧾 Known Malicious Extensions (examples):
PDF Converter
Weather widgets
Shopping assistants
Some “Dark Mode” or “Custom Cursor” tools
Often, they appeared harmless and well-rated — but had hidden code to exfiltrate data to remote servers.

🔐 How to Protect Yourself
✅ 1. Remove Suspicious Extensions
In Chrome: chrome://extensions/
In Edge: edge://extensions/
Disable or delete anything you don’t recognize or no longer use
✅ 2. Use Trusted Sources Only
Only install extensions from verified developers
Check reviews — but also the permissions requested
✅ 3. Use an Anti-Malware Tool
Tools like Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, or Microsoft Defender can help catch malicious scripts/extensions
✅ 4. Review Extension Permissions
Be wary of extensions that ask for access to:

“All data on all websites”
“Clipboard”
“Browser history”
✅ 5. Reset Your Browser (if concerned)
Chrome: Settings → Reset settings → Restore settings to their original defaults
Then reinstall only trusted extensions
 
🧠 Pro Tip:
If you use password managers or access sensitive accounts (banking, government, etc.), malicious extensions can log this data. Entrepreneurs and authors like you must keep digital accounts locked down.