The more you have, the more likely one of them is dangerous or they slow your browser down. Keep the number of extensions installed in your browser as low as possible. Run a Google search on “ reviews” to see what several different sites say about it. An extension with recent updates is generally safer than one that hasn't been updated in a while.
But also read the average score reviews to learn about potential problems. Make sure it has a large number of high star ratings and a lot of good reviews. This is not a complete list, but the following extensions have been flagged by security researchers as problematic and should be removed ( see section below for details):ĭo research before installing an extension. It's also bad if it does things without your knowledge like collecting your browser behavior or installing malware. When are They Good and When are They Bad?Ī browser extension is good if it adds useful functionality and doesn't impact the performance or stability of the browser.īut an extension is bad if it slows down (or crashes) your browser. Security software like antivirus programs tries to keep an eye on extensions, but can't catch 100% of the problems.
The problem is that remote servers can push viruses and other malware onto your computer via the browser extension.
Sometimes an earlier version of an extension is compliant, but an update violates the rules in a way the browser can't detect.Įxtensions that don't connect to a remote server are generally safer to use than those that do connect (but this is hard to determine). Sometimes they're created by the browser makers (Google, Mozilla, Apple, Microsoft, etc.) and sometimes they're built by 3rd-party developers.īrowsers have built-in rules about what extensions are allowed (and not allowed) to do, so they'll generally prevent an extension from doing something bad. They do things like block ads and trackers, show discount codes on shopping sites, let you take screenshots of web pages, manage your passwords, and many more things. They're like apps that run “inside” the browser. We'll explain what they are and how to know if they're safe to use.īrowser extensions (also called plugins or addons) are extra bits of functionality that can be added to a web browser. (No time to read right now? Just want to see the list of things to know? Here you go.)īrowser extensions can be useful but they can also be dangerous.
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