back to article Chrome users – get an alert when extensions are in danger of falling into wrong hands

Millions of Chrome users now have a way to guard against the threat of extension subversion, that is, if they don't mind installing yet another browser extension. Matt Frisbie, a software developer and programming book author, has released a Chrome add-on called Under New Management to alert users when installed extensions …

  1. shazapont
    Trollface

    Lynx, woohoo!

    This sounds like _The Wild West_.

    I’m surprised, no, shocked, no, disappointed that such a necessary check isn’t already provided by the purveyor of this business-critical software, that people, families, institutions, businesses, governments depend on for significant parts of their daily requirements.

    Fortunately I don’t have these problems with Lynx.

    1. Gene Cash Silver badge

      Re: Lynx, woohoo!

      Lynx has too much of an attack surface for me... I use telnet to port 80.

      1. Michael Strorm Silver badge

        Yeah, I know it's TLS now

        Lightweight. I telnet to port 443 and do all the SSL by hand.

  2. heyrick Silver badge

    Simple solution for browser extensions and apps alike - don't just blindly update immediately as an update is released (unless it's a special update for a known vulnerability). Give it a while, keep an eye on it. And don't be afraid to not update something unless there's a specific reason to do so. Browsers, yes, they need to be updated as the web is a moving target. But a useful little notepad app? If it works, stick with what you have to avoid "even more embedded advertising" or "these useful functions are now only in the (paid) pro version". It's gotten to the stage where, with Android apps, that I've felt glad that I backed up older apks so I could revert. I get that there's a certain amount of advertising so we can have "free" things, but what's going on these days is not so much taking the piss as tossing a grenade into the sewerage treatment facility.

    And, for the love of God, don't let all that stuff update itself automatically.

  3. aerogems Silver badge

    Google should buy this extension and make it a part of Chrome. The fact that they haven't done it already is kind of inexcusable really given how often they've been removing extensions for this very reason.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Joke

      Wouldn't that be a change of ownership, spotted by security aware users... and disabled?

      PS: love Matt Frisbies' books (and github repo).

  4. SnailFerrous

    Let me make you an offer.

    So Matt Frisbie, how much to sell me your Under New Management Extension?

  5. MajorDoubt
    FAIL

    Money Money Money

    All Google cares about is Money, nothing else matters to them. To the people who use chrome, did you chose it it, or was it just there when you went to browse the web. Most people have no idea of what their internet browser is, or even what that means. Welcome to the retard generation and proud of it.

    1. heyrick Silver badge
      Happy

      Re: Money Money Money

      "the retard generation"

      You can't say that!

      You'll make the little snowflakes cry.

      1. Uplink

        Re: Money Money Money

        Yeah, it should be used in the plural. Everyone who doesn't know how to use a computer at hacker level is essentially included, regardless of how old they are.

    2. Arthur the cat Silver badge

      Re: Money Money Money

      All Google cares about is Money, nothing else matters to them.

      But companies that don't make money don't last lo…

      [Looks at AI companies and others kept afloat without profits for years by vast VC input.]

      No, forget I said that.

      1. Snowy Silver badge
        Coat

        Re: Money Money Money

        They do make profits, more VC money coming in than spent equals profit :)

        Then you hope someone buys it before the VC money dries up.

        1. The Dogs Meevonks Silver badge
          Trollface

          Re: Money Money Money

          Gotta love those VC morons who haven't got a clue... twitter has been around for what... 18yrs and has never turned a profit in that entire time... and some even bigger moron came along and paid 44 billion for it... and it's now worth about 1/4 of that thanks to the genius in charge.

  6. Nifty

    How will I know when Under New Management is under new management?

    1. Michael Strorm Silver badge

      You use my new plugin, "Under new management under new management?"

      If and when that happens, Xzibit will pop up and say "Yo dawg".

      1. khjohansen
        Coat

        The People Responsible ...!

        ... A Mööse Önce bit my Sister??

        1. Michael Strorm Silver badge

          Re: The People Responsible ...!

          Wröng meme, I'm afraid.

  7. This post has been deleted by its author

  8. PRR Silver badge
    WTF?

    Looks dubious already!

    The under-new-management page on the Chrome store has prominent link to extensionboost(.)com which claims to be:

    ExBoost is a collaborative network of browser extensions that want more users and more reviews.

    Extensions add ExBoost slots inside their UI. These slots will show promotions for similar extensions, or reminders to review your extension.

    ExBoost is free for the balanced traffic plan. You can promote your extension more often in the ExBoost Dashboard (currently in private beta).

    i.e. extensions promotion?? Is under-new-management legit or a shill?

  9. Necrohamster Silver badge
    Black Helicopters

    Sounds like engagement farming...

    https://mattfrisbie.substack.com/p/introducing-exboost-revolutionizing

    Introducing ExBoost: Revolutionizing Chrome Extension Discoverability

    Empowering extension developers with community-driven promotion

    Matt Frisbie

    12 Feb 2024

    As a Web Extensions Google Developer Expert, I constantly see this question asked by extension developers:

    How can I get more users?

    Makes me think "Matt" isn't being honest about his intentions re. the "Under New Management" extension.

    His GitHub is interesting:

    https://github.com/classvsoftware

    Spy Extension

    This Chrome extension will steal literally everything it can. User discretion advised.

    Read about it here: https://mattfrisbie.substack.com/p/spy-chrome-extension

    Media:

    Hacker news discussion

    Featured on NBTV

    Featured in tl;dr sec

    1. PRR Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Re: Sounds like engagement farming...

      > Makes me think "Matt" isn't being honest about.........

      Thanks. That adds background. On the face of it, Matt is explaining and educating. Like a gun or drug dealer explaining how a bullet or syringe works. The book is $40-$50, and maybe Matt can be content with that income. His students have to find their own gimmick.

      I suspect The Register ought to be ashamed, well, slightly dismayed, they fell for spreading this guy's work. But that never stopped ElReg before.

  10. The Dogs Meevonks Silver badge

    The best advice to chrome users

    Stop using chrome... use something else that's better for you

  11. PPP1000

    Yet the extension gets a warning "proceed with caution" as "not trusted by enhanced safe browsing" when I try to add it to Chrome.

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