How you gave away your privacy in exchange of... nothing really

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freitasm

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Topic # 185436 22-Nov-2015 20:04

Here is an article explaining how some Chrome extensions report on everything you do on your browser. What pages you open, what cookies are used, etc.

Now, if someone installed an extension called "Free Smileys and Emoticons" then we can't expect that person to understand the risks. But then there is an ad blocker extension, with more than 110,000 users. Suddenly some of the excuses for blocking ads ("it's about privacy!" or "the ads carry malware") are just bullshit because people don't even know what the extension is doing behind the scenes.

The equivalent of downloading programs from download.com and having all infested with that spyware they inject.

Interesting read. You should check all your extensions now.

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Shoes2468

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Reply # 1432886 22-Nov-2015 20:21

Extensions are the devil, especially for the average joe, they visit a site and it asks to install an extension then, harvests everything.

freitasm

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Reply # 1432887 22-Nov-2015 20:23

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In other words, extensions are for Google Chrome what toolbars are for Internet Explorer?

Right, the safest browser in the world. Sure. Nothing to see here. Yeah.

Pardon me while I think any software claiming to be safe is just empty words.

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gzt

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Reply # 1432939 22-Nov-2015 22:46

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One thing I really like about Chrome is the inbuilt google implementation of Flash. New vulns appear in Adobe Flash regularly but I can not recall one that impacted the always current google chrome flash player. So I assume there are many less.

1101

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Reply # 1433166 23-Nov-2015 11:10

from the link above
"Are Firefox extensions any better?
To be honest, no. We’ve seen examples of extensions, like:..."

Its a bit disturbing when 'safebrowse' and 'superadblocker' are doing this. Id expect those type of extensions not to be.

But the fact is people really dont seem to care. Thats why it will only get worse.
Look at android & the permissions that most apps want to take, nobody really cares or checks permissions before installing android apps either .

Google = data collection. Thats what they do.
Why would Googles own browser be any different :-)

ghettomaster

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Reply # 1433169 23-Nov-2015 11:20

freitasm:
Pardon me while I think any software claiming to be safe is just empty words.

Someone hasn't reviewed the latest versions of Hello World lately...

ghettomaster

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Reply # 1433170 23-Nov-2015 11:23

1101:
Google = data collection. Thats what they do.

I was surprised to see my 'droid said it would take 18 minutes to drive to work this morning when it's only about 5 away. I then noticed it worked out I take my kid to school on Mondays and had the route to the school then to the office all mapped out.