A recent attack campaign has exposed over 25 browser extensions with a combined install base of over two million users, highlighting the vulnerability of these digital tools. This is not the first such attack, but its scope and sophistication demonstrate a significant increase in threats posed by browser extensions.
To understand the risk and implications, it’s essential to assess your organization’s exposure to this attack and browser extensions in general. The good news is that with some basic precautions, you can protect yourself from these vulnerabilities.
Browser extensions have become ubiquitous, offering users various productivity tools and services. However, they grant extensive access permissions that can lead to severe data exposure if misused. Commonly requested permissions include sensitive user data like cookies, identities, browsing history, and text input.
Organizations face a significant risk since they often don’t control which extensions are installed on their endpoints. Credential theft of corporate accounts can expose the organization to data breaches and reputational damage.
The recent attack campaign highlights that browser extensions have become a major threat surface. Targeted extensions include those related to VPN, AI, and productivity tools, suggesting that hackers seek to exploit these types of extensions due to their permissions and popularity.
To mitigate this risk, organizations should take the following steps:
1. Audit all installed extensions to understand your organization’s threat surface.
2. Categorize extensions based on their susceptibility to vulnerability.
3. Enumerate extension permissions to list what information they can access.
4. Assess extension risk using a holistic approach that considers permission scope and external parameters like reputation and popularity.
5. Apply adaptive, risk-based enforcement policies tailored to your organization’s needs.
By taking these precautions, you can protect yourself from the vulnerabilities of browser extensions and minimize the risks associated with them.
Click here to download our comprehensive guide on protecting against malicious browser extensions.
Source: https://thehackernews.com/2024/12/when-good-extensions-go-bad-takeaways.html