{ "id": "a726f97d-7f3a-46d6-a329-25987401d369", "created_at": "2026-04-06T00:19:27.111614Z", "updated_at": "2026-04-10T03:36:48.332068Z", "deleted_at": null, "sha1_hash": "df29f10a23b206d430db3c729aadbd728536521d", "title": "Browser extension", "llm_title": "", "authors": "", "file_creation_date": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z", "file_modification_date": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z", "file_size": 142309, "plain_text": "Browser extension\r\nBy Contributors to Wikimedia projects\r\nPublished: 2006-05-17 · Archived: 2026-04-05 16:35:31 UTC\r\nFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia\r\nA browser extension is a software module for customizing a web browser. Browsers typically allow users to\r\ninstall a variety of extensions, including user interface modifications, cookie management, ad blocking,\r\n[1]\r\n and the\r\ncustom scripting and styling of web pages.\r\n[1]\r\nBrowser plug-ins are a different type of module and no longer supported by the major browsers.[2][3] One\r\ndifference is that extensions are distributed as source code, while plug-ins are executables (i.e. object code).[2] The\r\nmost popular browser, Google Chrome,\r\n[4]\r\n has over 200,000 extensions available[5] but stopped supporting plug-ins in 2020.[6]\r\nInternet Explorer was the first major browser to support extensions, with the release of version 4 in 1997.[7]\r\nFirefox has supported extensions since its launch in 2004. Opera and Chrome began supporting extensions in\r\n2009,[8] and Safari did so the following year. Microsoft Edge added extension support in 2016.[9]\r\nIn 2015, a community group formed under the W3C to create a single standard application programming interface\r\n(API) for browser extensions.[10] While this particular work did not reach fruition,[11] every major browser now\r\nhas the same or very similar API due to the popularity of Google Chrome.\r\n[4][12]\r\nChrome was the first browser with an extension API based solely on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Beta testing for\r\nthis capability began in 2009,[13][14] and the following year Google opened the Chrome Web Store. As of June\r\n2012, there were 750 million total installations of extensions and other content hosted on the store.[15] In the same\r\nyear, Chrome overtook Internet Explorer as the world's most popular browser,\r\n[16]\r\n and its usage share reached 60%\r\nin 2018.[17]\r\nBecause of Chrome's success, Microsoft created a very similar extension API for its Edge browser, with the goal\r\nof making it easy for Chrome extension developers to port their work to Edge.[18] But after three years Edge still\r\nhad a disappointingly small market share, so Microsoft rebuilt it as a Chromium-based browser.\r\n[19][20]\r\n(Chromium is Google's open-source project that serves as the functional core of Chrome and many other\r\nbrowsers.) Now that Edge has the same API as Chrome, extensions can be installed directly from the Chrome Web\r\nStore.[21]\r\nIn 2015, Mozilla announced that the long-standing XUL and XPCOM extension capabilities of Firefox would be\r\nreplaced with a less-permissive API very similar to Chrome's.[22] This change was enacted in 2017.[23][24] Firefox\r\nextensions are now largely compatible with their Chrome counterparts.[25]\r\nhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_extension\r\nPage 1 of 4\n\nApple was the last major exception to this trend, but support for extensions conforming to the Chrome API was\r\nadded to Safari for macOS in 2020.[26] Extensions were later enabled in the iOS version for the first time.[27]\r\nIn 2021, these browser vendors formed a new W3C community group, called WebExtensions, to \"specify a model,\r\npermissions, and a common core of APIs\".[28] However, Google joined this during its overhaul of Chrome's\r\nextension API, known as Manifest V3, which greatly reduces the capability of ad blockers and privacy-related\r\nextensions.[29][30][31] Thus the WebExtensions group is viewed by some extension developers as nothing more\r\nthan Google imposing its Manifest V3 design.[32][33][34]\r\nBrowser extensions typically have access to sensitive data, such as browsing history, and they have the ability to\r\nalter some browser settings, add user interface items, or replace website content.[35][36] As a result, there have\r\nbeen instances of malware, so users need to be cautious about what extensions they install.[37][38][39][40]\r\nThere have also been cases of applications installing browser extensions without the user's knowledge, making it\r\nhard for the user to uninstall the unwanted extension.[41]\r\nSome Google Chrome extension developers have sold their extensions to third-parties who then incorporated\r\nadware.\r\n[42][43]\r\n In 2014, Google removed two such extensions from the Chrome Web Store after many users\r\ncomplained about unwanted pop-up ads.[44] The following year, Google acknowledged that about five percent of\r\nvisits to its own websites had been altered by extensions with adware.[45][46][47]\r\n1. ^ Jump up to: a\r\n \r\nb\r\n \"What are extensions?\". MDN Web Docs. Retrieved 5 August 2019.\r\n2. ^ Jump up to: a\r\n \r\nb\r\n \"Plugin\". developer.mozilla.org. 9 September 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.\r\n3. ^ \"Why Browser Plug-Ins Are Going Away and What's Replacing Them\". howtogeek.com. 8 January 2014.\r\nRetrieved 6 June 2023.\r\n4. ^ Jump up to: a\r\n \r\nb\r\n \"StatCounter Global Stats\". StatCounter. Retrieved 11 November 2020.\r\n5. ^ \"Chrome extension statistics (Jan 2026)\". chrome-stats.com. Retrieved 23 January 2026.\r\n6. ^ \"Google Chrome 88 released: RIP Flash Player\". Retrieved 29 January 2021.\r\n7. ^ \"Browser Extensions\". 15 August 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2020.\r\n8. ^ Edwards, Lin; Phys.org. \"Google Chrome extensions to be officially released\". phys.org. Retrieved 27\r\nApril 2023.\r\n9. ^ Bright, Peter (18 March 2016). \"Edge browser now has extensions in the latest Windows 10 preview\".\r\nArs Technica. Condé Nast.\r\n10. ^ \"Browser Extension Community Group Charter — Browser Extension Community Group\".\r\nbrowserext.github.io. Retrieved 14 December 2018.\r\n11. ^ \"Re: One question from Florian Rivoal on 2017-07-29 (public-browserext@w3.org from July 2017)\".\r\nlists.w3.org. Retrieved 14 December 2018.\r\n12. ^ \"Build a cross-browser extension - Mozilla | MDN\". developer.mozilla.org. 21 November 2024. Retrieved\r\n10 January 2025.\r\n13. ^ \"Extensions Status: On the Runway, Getting Ready for Take-Off\". Chromium Blog. Retrieved 14\r\nDecember 2018.\r\n14. ^ \"Extensions beta launched, with over 300 extensions!\". Chromium Blog. Retrieved 14 December 2018.\r\nhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_extension\r\nPage 2 of 4\n\n15. ^ Vikas SN (29 June 2012). \"The Lowdown: Google I/O 2012 Day 2 – 310M Chrome Users, 425M Gmail\r\n\u0026 More\". MediaNama. Retrieved 14 June 2013.\r\n16. ^ \"Internet Explorer usage to plummet below 50 percent by mid-2012\". 3 September 2011. Archived from\r\nthe original on 20 November 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011.\r\n17. ^ Statcounter. \"Browser Market Share Worldwide | StatCounter Global Stats\". gs.statcounter.com.\r\nRetrieved 20 October 2018.\r\n18. ^ \"Porting an extension from Chrome to Microsoft Edge\". Microsoft. Retrieved 30 December 2018.\r\n19. ^ \"Microsoft Edge: Making the web better through more open source collaboration\". Windows Experience\r\nBlog. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.\r\n20. ^ Keizer, Gregg (8 December 2018). \"With move to rebuild Edge atop Google's Chromium, Microsoft\r\nraises white flag in browser war\". Computerworld. Retrieved 14 December 2018.\r\n21. ^ \"Add or remove extensions in Microsoft Edge\". Microsoft. Retrieved 8 June 2020.\r\n22. ^ \"The Future of Developing Firefox Add-ons\". Mozilla Add-ons Blog. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 15\r\nDecember 2018.\r\n23. ^ \"Upcoming Changes in Compatibility Features\". Mozilla Add-ons Blog. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 15\r\nDecember 2018.\r\n24. ^ \"How to enable legacy extensions in Firefox 57 - gHacks Tech News\". www.ghacks.net. 12 August 2017.\r\nRetrieved 14 December 2018.\r\n25. ^ \"Porting a Google Chrome extension\". Mozilla. Retrieved 30 December 2018.\r\n26. ^ \"Safari 14 Release Notes\". 2020. Archived from the original on 23 March 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2022.\r\n27. ^ Ortolani, Parker (21 September 2021). \"Here are the best new Safari extensions to download for iOS 15\r\nand iPadOS 15 (Updated)\". 9to5Mac. Retrieved 5 April 2022.\r\n28. ^ \"WebExtensions Community Group\". w3.org. 3 April 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2024.\r\n29. ^ Barnett, Daly (9 December 2021). \"Chrome Users Beware: Manifest V3 is Deceitful and Threatening\".\r\nElectronic Frontier Foundation. Retrieved 22 November 2023.\r\n30. ^ Amadeo, Ron (1 December 2023). \"Chrome's next weapon in the War on Ad Blockers: Slower extension\r\nupdates\". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2 December 2023.\r\n31. ^ \"Inside the 'arms race' between YouTube and ad blockers\". Engadget. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 2\r\nDecember 2023.\r\n32. ^ Stuwe, Cuyler (29 December 2021). \"Re: Do not outlaw dynamic code\". GitHub. “Nobody outside of\r\nGoogle really has any meaningful sway, since Chrome currently owns nearly all of the market share;\r\nGoogle sets the rules, other people nitpick minor details, and everyone pretends that everyone had a\r\nmeaningful say.”\r\n33. ^ \"Re: Do not outlaw dynamic code\". GitHub. 2 January 2022. “Google has shown no interest whatsoever\r\nin deviating from their original plans. So, it's quite clear what's happening here. MV3 is a business\r\ndecision, not an engineering decision.”\r\n34. ^ \"Re: Manifest v3 background scripts should not be killed when there are active listeners\". GitHub. 7\r\nJanuary 2024.\r\n35. ^ \"Protect User Privacy\". Google Chrome Docs. 18 March 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.\r\n36. ^ \"Add-on Policies\". MDN Web Docs. Retrieved 15 December 2018.\r\n37. ^ \"Security firm ICEBRG uncovers 4 malicious Chrome extensions - gHacks Tech News\". www.ghacks.net.\r\n16 January 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.\r\nhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_extension\r\nPage 3 of 4\n\n38. ^ \"Google's bad track record of malicious Chrome extensions continues - gHacks Tech News\".\r\nwww.ghacks.net. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.\r\n39. ^ \"Chrome Extension Devs Use Sneaky Landing Pages after Google Bans Inline Installs\".\r\nBleepingComputer. Retrieved 15 December 2018.\r\n40. ^ \"Google Chrome extensions with 500,000 downloads found to be malicious\". Ars Technica. 17 January\r\n2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.\r\n41. ^ \"PUP Criteria\". Malwarebytes. Retrieved 13 February 2015.\r\n42. ^ \"Adware vendors buy Chrome Extensions to send ad- and malware-filled updates\". Ars Technica. 17\r\nJanuary 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014.\r\n43. ^ Bruce Schneier (21 January 2014). \"Adware Vendors Buy and Abuse Chrome Extensions\".\r\n44. ^ Winkler, Rolfe (19 January 2014). \"Google Removes Two Chrome Extensions Amid Ad Uproar\".\r\nblogs.wsj.com. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 March 2014.\r\n45. ^ \"Ad Injection at Scale: Assessing Deceptive Advertisement Modifications\" (PDF). Archived from the\r\noriginal (PDF) on 5 June 2015.\r\n46. ^ \"Superfish injects ads into 5 percent of all Google page views\". PC World. IDG.\r\n47. ^ \"Superfish injects ads in one in 25 Google page views\". CIO. IDG. Archived from the original on 11\r\nDecember 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2015.\r\nExtension API documentation from Google, Apple, Mozilla, Microsoft, Opera\r\nOfficial extension stores for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera\r\nSource: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_extension\r\nhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_extension\r\nPage 4 of 4", "extraction_quality": 1, "language": "EN", "sources": [ "MITRE" ], "references": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_extension" ], "report_names": [ "Browser_extension" ], "threat_actors": [ { "id": "9f101d9c-05ea-48b9-b6f1-168cd6d06d12", "created_at": "2023-01-06T13:46:39.396409Z", "updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:03.312816Z", "deleted_at": null, "main_name": "Earth Lusca", "aliases": [ "CHROMIUM", "ControlX", "TAG-22", "BRONZE UNIVERSITY", "AQUATIC PANDA", "RedHotel", "Charcoal Typhoon", "Red Scylla", "Red Dev 10", "BountyGlad" ], "source_name": "MISPGALAXY:Earth Lusca", "tools": [ "RouterGod", "SprySOCKS", "ShadowPad", "POISONPLUG", "Barlaiy", "Spyder", "FunnySwitch" ], "source_id": "MISPGALAXY", "reports": null }, { "id": "18a7b52d-a1cd-43a3-8982-7324e3e676b7", "created_at": "2025-08-07T02:03:24.688416Z", "updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:03.734754Z", "deleted_at": null, "main_name": "BRONZE UNIVERSITY", "aliases": [ "Aquatic Panda", "Aquatic Panda ", "CHROMIUM", "CHROMIUM ", "Charcoal Typhoon", "Charcoal Typhoon ", "Earth Lusca", "Earth Lusca ", "FISHMONGER ", "Red Dev 10", "Red Dev 10 ", "Red Scylla", "Red Scylla ", "RedHotel", "RedHotel ", "Tag-22", "Tag-22 " ], "source_name": "Secureworks:BRONZE UNIVERSITY", "tools": [ "Cobalt Strike", "Fishmaster", "FunnySwitch", "Spyder", "njRAT" ], "source_id": "Secureworks", "reports": null }, { "id": "6abcc917-035c-4e9b-a53f-eaee636749c3", "created_at": "2022-10-25T16:07:23.565337Z", "updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:04.668393Z", "deleted_at": null, "main_name": "Earth Lusca", "aliases": [ "Bronze University", "Charcoal Typhoon", "Chromium", "G1006", "Red Dev 10", "Red Scylla" ], "source_name": "ETDA:Earth Lusca", "tools": [ "Agentemis", "AntSword", "BIOPASS", "BIOPASS RAT", "BadPotato", "Behinder", "BleDoor", "Cobalt Strike", "CobaltStrike", "Doraemon", "FRP", "Fast Reverse Proxy", "FunnySwitch", "HUC Port Banner Scanner", "KTLVdoor", "Mimikatz", "NBTscan", "POISONPLUG.SHADOW", "PipeMon", "RbDoor", "RibDoor", "RouterGod", "SAMRID", "ShadowPad Winnti", "SprySOCKS", "WinRAR", "Winnti", "XShellGhost", "cobeacon", "fscan", "lcx", "nbtscan" ], "source_id": "ETDA", "reports": null }, { "id": "d53593c3-2819-4af3-bf16-0c39edc64920", "created_at": "2022-10-27T08:27:13.212301Z", "updated_at": "2026-04-10T02:00:05.272802Z", "deleted_at": null, "main_name": "Earth Lusca", "aliases": [ "Earth Lusca", "TAG-22", "Charcoal Typhoon", "CHROMIUM", "ControlX" ], "source_name": "MITRE:Earth Lusca", "tools": [ "Mimikatz", "PowerSploit", "Tasklist", "certutil", "Cobalt Strike", "Winnti for Linux", "Nltest", "NBTscan", "ShadowPad" ], "source_id": "MITRE", "reports": null } ], "ts_created_at": 1775434767, "ts_updated_at": 1775792208, "ts_creation_date": 0, "ts_modification_date": 0, "files": { "pdf": "https://archive.orkl.eu/df29f10a23b206d430db3c729aadbd728536521d.pdf", "text": "https://archive.orkl.eu/df29f10a23b206d430db3c729aadbd728536521d.txt", "img": "https://archive.orkl.eu/df29f10a23b206d430db3c729aadbd728536521d.jpg" } }