Summary
Browser extensions (or add-ons, as they’re called in Firefox) are one of the great things about modern web browsers. They can add functionality that wouldn’t be available otherwise. However, not all extensions are safe. Here are four strategies you can use to identify and avoid malicious extensions.
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Browser extensions are one of the great things about modern web browsers. They let you add functions that aren’t available through the browser alone. However, like many things in technology, some browser extensions are malicious. Here are four strategies you can use to avoid these harmful extensions.
For Personal Tech Media, this is Two Minute Tech. I’m Jim Herman.
First, avoid searching for extensions in the Chrome Web Store or the Firefox Add-Ons. While the stores seem convenient, it can be a challenge to distinguish between a legitimate extension and a malicious one. Instead of searching in the extension or add-on store, go to the official website for the extension and follow the links to the download.
Second, confirm that the information regarding the extension matches what you expect. For example, if you’re preparing to install a Google Docs extension, you would expect the developer’s name to say Google. You would also expect that extension to have many installs and few typos in the description.
Third, read the permissions the app is requesting. When you add an extension, you will receive a pop-up displaying what permissions are needed. Don’t click on the Add Extension button without reading these permissions. Ask yourself if the permissions seem reasonable for the job that it will do.
And finally, once you’ve installed the extension, keep monitoring your browser for signs of problems. If your computer suddenly starts running slow, or if you start seeing a massive number of ads on sites that never had ads before, you’ve likely installed a malicious extension into your browser.