Browser Extensions, to those who use them, are really something else. If you know the right extensions, they can open your browser to another level. Extensions were these great ideas, that promised a lot. And these days, most of the browsers support various kind of extensions as well. Be it to block ads, uncover more information, check your grammar, or manage your downloads, these add-ons bring in a lot of possibilities. But every once in a while, some developers manage to misuse this feature. How? Well, collecting your data and selling them, of course! And recently, 8 such extensions got caught. If you are a Chrome or Firefox user, do check your extensions tab for a any of the followings. Also, if by chance you happen to have any of these installed, consider uninstalling them:
- Branded Surveys (Chrome)
- FairShare Unlock (Chrome and Firefox)
- HoverZoom (Chrome)
- Panel Community Surveys (Chrome)
- PanelMeasurement (Chrome)
- SaveFrom.net Helper (Firefox)
- SpeakIt! (Chrome)
- SuperZoom (Chrome and Firefox)
Also Read: Fitbit users beware! Your privacy at risk…
Currently, these extensions have been taken down by their respective web stores. However, they might still be running on your browser. And also, there isn’t much the browser itself can do in order to safeguard your privacy. In addition, only a few of these extensions let their users know about their data collection policies.
Also Read: Using FaceApp: Do you have to worry about Privacy?
What did these extensions do?
This leak was recently coined “DataSpii”. It is responsible for leaking data from up to 45 major companies and over 4 million individuals. The data was sold to “Nacho Analytics”, a fee-based service. Moreover, the 45 companies include Fortune 500 corporations like Apple, Walmart, Amazon, 23AndMe, SpaceX, and Skype. You can check out the types of data that were leaked through DataSpii below:
| Personal Data | Corporate Data |
| Personal Interests | The real-time activity of employees, including the corporate tasks they were assigned |
| Tax Returns | Private LAN network structure |
| GPS Location | Partial page content (includes hyperlinks embedded on a LAN website) |
| Cloud Service and Data | Company Memos |
| File Attachment | API Keys |
| Credit Card Information | Proprietary Source Code |
| Genetic Profiles | Firewall Access Codes |
| Travel Itinerates and Online Shopping History | Operational Materials |
| Genealogy | Zero-Day Vulnerabilities |
You can learn more about DataSpi over here.
