The IT company LayerX has launched the ExtensionPedia project — an online encyclopedia of browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. It is positioned as a tool to inform and protect users from potentially dangerous add-ons, which can sometimes “sneak” into browsers even through official distribution channels.
The service has a very simple interface: just enter the name of any extension to learn about the risks associated with using it. Security is assessed on a ten-point scale, considering factors such as the list of permissions and the amount of data accessible to the developer. The ExtensionPedia website is available in Russian and does not require registration.
“While browser extensions are often considered harmless, in practice they are frequently granted broad access to users’ personal information and data — enabling hackers to use them as a conduit for data theft, account takeovers, and data hijacking,” LayerX noted.
According to the developers, the service is useful for anyone who installs browser extensions, as extension stores only conduct superficial reviews. For example, in 2022, 1.5 million users were affected by malicious extensions; in 2023, that number jumped to 87 million. At launch, the service’s database included information on approximately 200,000 extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. The list is expected to grow over time.