Link: https://www.securityweek.com/over-300-malicious-chrome-extensions-caught-leaking-or-stealing-user-data/

Security researchers have discovered more than 300 Chrome extensions that leak browser data, spy on their users, or outright steal users’ data.

Research focused on the analysis of network traffic generated by Chrome extensions has uncovered 287 applications transmitting the user’s browsing history or search engine results pages (SERP).

Some of them, security researcher Q Continuum explains, would essentially expose the data to unsecured networks, while others would send it to collection servers, either due to intended functionality, for monetization purposes, or with malicious intent.

The extensions have over 37.4 million users, the researcher says. Of these, roughly 27.2 million users installed 153 extensions that were confirmed to leak browser history upon installation.

Couldn't be happier for having dumped Chrome for Vivaldi.

What, is Google upset about having some competition?

Yet, instead of fixing the moderation problem they have, they just focus on targeting adblockers, because removing pornographic ads HaRmS the EcOnOmY and the ChiLDerN!!1

They even made another entire manifest version to make adblockers perform worse, but no real changes to moderation.

And boy does it SUCK
Barely changes anything in terms of security

Good for you! I got fed up with Chrystler and I'm never buying from them again. From now on I'm only buying Dodge!

/s

Yes. 300 second places, who cares? Maybe there's an aftermarket for data Google already has stolen. Might be that Google's prices are too high for resellers.

Genuinely asking: what's the alternative?

Firefox and hardened forks, possibly Cromite. All you can do is harden your defenses as much as possible and try not to go "oooooo shiny" when looking at extensions.

I do use Firefox as my secondary browser. I may have been under an inaccurate impression that Vivaldi was more private and secure (with a built-in ad blocker)

Here is the actual important stuff.

It's more that Vivaldi is just Chrome under the hood.

Vivaldi is a bit more unique than just yet; but at the end of the day it is still Chromium, and will therefore never be my main browser.

How is that different from websites tracking you?

Ok, securityweek.com is almost ok in that regard.

hey at least you don't have ads with manifest v3

Well there's a difference between the rendering engine and what's included with it. Take a look at Cromite. They do quite a bit of work hardening Chrome. I think avoiding chrome-based browsers on principle is self-limiting. Evaluate the product before discarding it. I'm a Firefox guy, but I know it has its problems.