Thousands of Websites and Browser Extensions Are Exposing Your Sensitive Data

A shocking new security revelation has cybersecurity experts sounding the alarm: over 1,000 popular websites are storing your passwords, credit card numbers, and Social Security information in plain text – making them vulnerable to browser extensions that could steal your most sensitive data.

The Security Flaw That’s Putting Millions at Risk

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison stumbled upon this massive vulnerability while “messing around with login pages” – specifically Google’s login page. What they discovered was alarming: the site’s HTML source code could see passwords entered in plain text rather than the encrypted format that should be standard practice.

When the team expanded their investigation to more than 7,000 websites, they found that approximately 15% – over 1,000 sites – were committing the same security sin. These websites should be using hashing algorithms to jumble your password into an unreadable code, but instead, they’re leaving the door wide open for potential data theft.

Browser Extensions: The Silent Threat

The vulnerability doesn’t stop at poorly secured websites. The researchers identified 17,300 Chrome extensions (12.5% of all Chrome extensions) that have permissions to view this sensitive plain text data. While legitimate extensions aren’t the primary concern, the risk lies in malicious developers creating extensions specifically designed to scrape this exposed information.

Here’s the truly terrifying part: the researchers proved this threat is real by creating a malicious extension from scratch, uploading it to the Chrome Web Store, and getting it approved. They immediately removed it, but demonstrated that hackers could easily get such extensions onto official stores. Even more concerning, a hacker could acquire a legitimate extension with an existing user base, modify its code to exploit this vulnerability, and push the update to unsuspecting users – a tactic that happens “all the time” across browsers.

How to Protect Yourself From This Hidden Danger

While you can’t force websites to properly secure your data, you can take several steps to minimize your risk:

Limit your browser extensions – The fewer extensions you use, the smaller your attack surface. Stick to extensions from trusted developers and regularly audit your installed extensions.

Monitor extension updates – If an extension changes ownership or suddenly requests new permissions, investigate before continuing to use it.

Disable extensions when entering sensitive data – Before entering your Social Security number or other critical information on a website, temporarily disable your extensions.

Use modern security alternatives – Opt for passkeys instead of traditional passwords when available, as they don’t use plain text data. For payments, use secure systems like Apple Pay or Google Pay that don’t share your actual credit card information with websites.

Be selective about sharing sensitive information – Only enter your Social Security number or other critical data when absolutely necessary, and be aware that even legitimate-looking websites might be storing it insecurely.

This discovery highlights a critical gap in web security practices that affects millions of users daily. While the responsibility ultimately falls on website developers to fix these vulnerabilities, users must remain vigilant about their digital footprint and take proactive steps to protect their most sensitive information.

tags

Cybersecurity #DataBreach #PasswordSecurity #BrowserExtensions #OnlinePrivacy #TechNews #DataProtection #InternetSecurity #CyberThreat #DigitalSafety

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