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The origin story of BrowseSmarter
Read Full Story →Why I Built BrowseSmarter
2021 I started my cybersecurity journey, working in infrastructure security while continuing to build my skills in offensive security, application security, and security research.
As part of that work, I became more interested in browser extensions and the amount of access they can have once installed. Most people install extensions quickly and move on, but behind that simple "Add to Chrome" button, some extensions request permissions that can give them access to sensitive browser activity and data.
That includes things like web history, cookies, local storage, clipboard access, page content, keystrokes, and in some cases even camera or microphone access.
The issue is not always that an extension is malicious. Sometimes the bigger problem is that the extension asks for more access than it actually needs to function. Users often do not have a clear way to understand what they granted, why it matters, or whether the extension still deserves that level of access.
Over time, I worked with and reviewed many browser extensions with very different risk levels. Some had reasonable permissions for their purpose. Others requested broad access that did not make sense for what they were doing.
I spent a lot of time looking at extension permissions, behavior, source code, and risk indicators to better understand how to separate normal functionality from unnecessary or risky access.
I also tried using existing public tools and services to check extension risk, including tools like CRXcavator, ChromeStats, and SpinAI. Some were useful in certain ways, but I kept running into limitations.
Some tools disappeared or became unavailable. Some results were inaccurate, outdated, or difficult to validate. Others did not show a live view of what was actually installed in the browser, which made it harder to take action quickly.
What I wanted was simple: a clear view of installed extensions, what permissions they had, how risky those permissions were, and an easy way to disable something if it looked unnecessary or unsafe.
BrowseSmarter was built to make browser extension security easier to understand.
The goal is transparency. Extensions should not quietly collect access to unnecessary information without users having a clear way to see it. If an extension can read site data, access browsing activity, use the clipboard, or request broad permissions, users should be able to see that in plain language.
BrowseSmarter looks at installed extensions and helps translate their permissions into a simple risk score. Instead of expecting every user to understand Chrome extension permission models, it gives a clearer view of what each extension can access and why that might matter.
The idea is not to scare people away from extensions. Browser extensions are useful, and many are completely legitimate. The goal is to help users make better decisions about which extensions they keep enabled and which ones may be asking for more access than they need.
BrowseSmarter gives users visibility into their installed Chrome extensions and helps identify permissions that may increase risk.
It is designed to help answer questions like:
What extensions do I currently have installed?
What permissions does each extension have?
Is this extension asking for access that seems unnecessary?
Which extensions should I review more closely?
Can I quickly disable an extension if I no longer trust it?
The focus is on making this information easier to understand without requiring someone to be a security expert.
BrowseSmarter is still growing. I plan to continue improving the scoring logic, adding more context around permissions, and expanding the research behind how extensions are evaluated.
I'll also use this blog to share findings, technical notes, and research related to browser extension security.
The goal is simple: make extension access more visible, easier to understand, and easier to manage.
BrowseSmarter is free to use.
The mission is to keep browser extension security more transparent for everyone.