Browser extensions are handy tools because you don’t need to leave your tab to access their functionality. And they can perform various tasks, such as remembering your password or checking the grammar of your text. However, these extensions often contain malicious software (also known as malware), and Google Chrome is here to help you with this.
In a blog post on Chrome Developers, Google revealed that Chrome 117, the next version of Google’s Internet browser, will notify users when an extension they installed is no longer available in the Chrome Web Store.
An extension is removed from the Chrome Web Store for one of three reasons:
- The extension has been unpublished by the developer
- The extension has been removed for violating Chrome Web Store policies
- Or it was marked as malware
A feature you can test now
Prior to this update, if an extension was removed from the store because it contained malware, the user was not prompted to uninstall it and remained at risk.
The presence of malware in browser extensions is a major problem that affects many users. Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky discovered that in the first half of 2022, 1.3 million users were affected by threats in browser extensions.
With Chrome 117, users just need to head to the “Privacy and security” section of the settings page, where they’ll be notified if any of the extensions they’ve downloaded are worth considering.
Google
When a user clicks on the “Review” button, they are taken to their extensions, where it says why the extension was removed from the Chrome Web Store and where it is possible to remove it from Chrome.
Google
Although Chrome 117 hasn’t been released yet, BleepingComputer has found a way to test the feature right now with Chrome 116.
All you have to do is paste this link in your browser chrome://flags/#safety-check-extensions and of click on “Enabled” next to the “Extensions Module in Safety Check” feature.
Screenshot by Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
Once done, you will be prompted to restart the browser and access features the same as in Chrome 117.
Source: “ZDNet.com”