The Enterprise Browser Extension Security Report 2025, published by LayerX, highlights the substantial risks that browser extensions pose to organizations. The report found that 99% of employees have browser extensions installed, with 52% of those employees using more than 10 extensions.
- The report highlights that 53% of enterprise users' extensions can access sensitive data, such as cookies, passwords, and web page contents, which could jeopardize the entire organization in the event of an employee-level compromise.
- More than half of extension publishers are unknown and only identified via Gmail, making it difficult to track their reputability. Moreover, 79% of publishers have only published one extension, which raises concerns about their trustworthiness.
- The report also notes that GenAI extensions are a growing threat, with over 20% of users having at least one GenAI extension and 58% of these extensions having high-risk permission scopes.
- Additionally, 51% of extensions haven't been updated in over a year, and 26% of enterprise extensions are sideloaded, bypassing basic store vetting, which can make them vulnerable to attacks even if they're not purposefully malicious.
Takeaways:
- Use browser extensions sparingly. While some extensions can add value, assess the risk of any extension you are installing
- Evaluate the developer/company. Before installing any extension, verify the browser extension store and review the developer's website for its age, privacy details, and the date it was last updated.
- Review the permissions the extension will have on your system. Avoid extensions that request high-risk permissions, such as access to cookies, passwords, and web page content.
- Only download extensions from the official web store
- Review and remove if not used for three months or more
#ALTACyber
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Genady Vishnevetsky
Chief Info Security Officer
Stewart Title Guaranty Company
Houston TX
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