Do you use Firefox or Chrome to browse the internet? Then you should smile at the news that both services removed more than 200 suspicious browser extensions. According to ZDNet, the giant internet companies discovered some unethical practices by the affected add-on companies.
We have hammered several times on the importance of data privacy. Several articles have provided tips and steps to improving data security and privacy.
While users are to take charge of their own security, tech firms also have responsibilities to ensure this. This is what Chrome from Google and Mozilla’s Firefox did in taking out the extensions that endangered privacy.
Up to date, Firefox alone cut out as much as 200 extensions, out of which, 129 were from 2Ring. Although, the browser said that the removed add-ons were not malicious in themselves but fell short of their policies. These policies included having codes hosted on remote servers.
However, 2Ring executives claim to have had talks with Mozilla representatives and are waiting for responses.
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They eradicated many other extensions for plainly collecting user data, collecting search terms and other sorts of malicious practices on third-party websites.
Amidst this mass removal of untrusted tools from its extensions, Firefox mentions that user privacy comes first. It had recently dropped some security information on its social media page.
Google, on the other hand, announced something similar to what Mozilla’s browser had discovered. An Ars Technica article quoted the internet company as saying that it has:
“detected a significant increase in the number of fraudulent transactions involving paid Chrome extensions that aim to exploit users”.
Google had because of this moved to block the publishing of “fee-based extensions”. This should first stem the menace as the company works toward providing permanent solutions.
Although, it is difficult to ascertain if an extension is safe, using those from trusted developers is a good way to stay safe. Also, users should limit the number of add-ons they use to the most important ones.
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