Report: Over 6.5M users’ data peddled by browser extensions

More than 80 browser extensions with over 6.5 million users have been legally selling procured information for profit, reports Cybernews.

Meanwhile, 71% of all Chrome Web Store extensions had no privacy policies, according to a LayerX Security report, which noted that the real figures may even be higher. Among those observed to have peddled user data were 24 streaming service extensions released by an undisclosed publisher targeting users of Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, and other platforms, which have a combined reach of almost 800,000 users. Its policies describe selling analytical reports to streaming services, marketing groups, media research firms, studios, content creators, and other individuals who purchase anonymized viewing data.

Moreover, analysts discovered at least 12 ad-blocking extensions that were reserving rights to sell user information, such as Stands AdBlocker and Poper Blocker. There were also 30 extensions that sell data to corporate B2B sales intelligence tools, exposing employee browsing behavior. Organizations have been urged to deploy automated systems that can block or limit suspicious extensions, as well as establish policies on browser extension governance.