These
days, Nearly every Internet user is using Chrome extension.
Everyone has at least one chrome extension installed on their laptop
or desktops. But have you ever wondered, are Chrome extensions really
safe? Chrome extensions can add so many new functionalities in your
Chrome web browser. With all the usability and functionality, a
greater risk of privacy intimidation also comes to your computers.
Today, we are going to talk about, are Chrome extensions safe? All
the things you need to know will be discussed thoroughly down below.
There
are so many web browsers that exist in the market. However, due to
the extraordinary ecosystem and syncing functionalities provided by
Google, Chrome holds the largest market cap. More than 55% of
internet users are using Google Chrome for web browsing. Now let's
discuss, what are the Chrome extensions and why do we need them?
What
are the Chrome extensions? and Why do we need them?
Chrome
extensions are small programs that can be installed in your Chrome
web browsers to add certain unique functionality to the Chrome web
browser. You get unique usability and functionality features in your
web browser. They can enhance the overall user experience of web
browsing.
Chrome
extensions can be installed from the Chrome Web store. They can be
used to fulfill so many requirements. They can be used to block
unnecessary ads, there are extensions to track your emails, there are
extensions to manage your login ID and password for all of your
accounts. The extensions add exceptional functionality to your Web
browser. They improve your productivity by limiting the total time or
by making it easier to perform a particular task.
What
are the security threats form Chrome extensions?
As
we discussed above Chrome extensions can perform so many tasks. But,
In doing so, they can have access to every particular task you
perform on your browser. They may know all the websites you are
visiting, your banking details, your passwords, and login details.
They can irritate you by showing unnecessary or inappropriate ads or
may redirect your search traffic. In even worse situations, they put
you in vulnerable conditions. If your data goes into the wrong hands,
you may possess an extreme security threat.
In
short, your privacy can be totally compromised by blindly using
Chrome extensions. Now, the question that may arise in anyone's mind
is, why Google is not taking any actions against them? Google has
created a permission system to limit the amount of information they
collect from your browser. But as a user, we don't really focus on
permissions. We just carelessly install extensions and putting our
identity to the risk. Google is doing all in its power to stop it,
but that's not considerably enough.
What
can you do to protect yourself from this security theft?
Many
of extension may put your privacy at risk but not all of them. There
are numerous extensions, that can help you perform so many tasks
better and easier. There are few things which you should know before
installing any extension. We can give attention to the list of the
information they will fetch from your browser. We can perform a bit
of the research for the developer of the extensions before
installing. There many ways to protect yourself from this security
theft. Let's discuss different ways to protect your self from this
security theft.
Few
primary precautionary steps
These
are the few primary preventive steps that can help you to protect
your self from security theft. Don't use dozens of extensions.
Eventually, it increases security risk. They also affect the overall
performance of your computer. Use extension from the official Chrome
Web Store only. Do not use extension directly, unless you know who
created them or you know their credibility.
Check
the credibility of the developer
Before
installing any extension this is a very crucial step. If the
developers of the extensions are trustworthy or well-known brands
then we can use them without security doubts. For the Chrome Web
Store, the name of the developers will be given just down below the
name of the extension.
There
will be a hyperlink given with the name of the developers. Click on
that link, it will take you to the website of the developers. The
credible developers will have a website, which shows their past work,
their skill sets, their expertise, testimonials or any piece of
information which proves their credibility. If you don't find any of
this, don't worry. There many more ways to decide whether to install
this extension or not.
Permissions
When
you install the extension, there will be a popup that will show you
what information it will fetch from your browser after installation.
Put attention to all the information they ask for. If it asks for the
information which they don't even need, then there is a great chance
of your data gathering or security theft. Use your simple reasoning
and senses to understand if they don't need particular information,
then why would they even ask for it. If a birthday reminder extension
is asking for all of your browsing data then you should better not
use that.
If
any extension that you are already using is suddenly asking for new
security permission, that's not a good indication too. This happens
if the extension is hijacked or the original owners of that extension
might have sold that extension. New owners will increase their
profits by showing unnecessary ads or will start doing malicious
activities. If anything similar to this happens, remove that
extension form your browser.
User
reviews
In
this digital age, many of the developers can buy or produce fake
reviews. It becomes really easy to produce positive reviews and
5-star ratings. If you find so many positive reviews with similarly
written sentences don't consider them. There will be a few user
reviews that are addressing a genuine issue, developers can solve
them by updates. If you find numerous reviews addressing the same
serious issue or the various reviews complaining about data theft.
You better leave that extension behind.
Conclusion
This
was our guide regarding the safety of Chrome and spread awareness for
the security of your privacy. We hope that we helped you to
understand this serious issue. Use your browser to the fullest with a
trustworthy extension. Don't put your personal space at risk by using
malicious extensions.
At
Softpulse Infotech we create a remarkably good functional Chrome extension development. Accelerate the overall
workflow of your business by getting a functional Chrome extension
custom made for your business needs. And please don't forget to drop
a comment down below, if you found this article informational.