Why managing browser extensions should be part of your SaaS governance strategy

Recent supply chain attacks involving browser extensions—such as the Cyberhaven breach and the ShadyPanda campaign—have served as a wake-up call for security teams. These weren't just obscure tools; they were trusted extensions that bad actors gained access to, exploited, and turned malicious, most often through undetected silent updates that flew under the radar to exfiltrate data and hijack sessions.

‍

Every time an employee installs a browser extension to boost productivity or customize a workflow, that small decision expands your organization's attack surface. That's because browser extensions often possess high permission levels that can be exploited by bad actors to access your most sensitive resources.

‍

In this post, we’ll explore why browser extensions have become such attractive targets for attackers, why they demand the same level of visibility as your SaaS and AI apps, and how Nudge Security’s ability to discover and inventory browser extensions helps you gain this much-needed visibility and control.

‍

The hidden power of the "humble" extension

Most employees don't give a second thought to the security of the extensions in their browser toolbars. They install them from reputable sources like the Chrome Web Store and trust them to do a specific job or task, often integrating them with other apps.

‍

Consider these common browser add-ons and their associated permissions:

• Writing assistants: Tools like Grammarly or Quillbot require permission to read and modify all data on the websites you visit.
• AI meeting assistants: Extensions like Otter.ai and Fireflies.ai request microphone access and permission to modify data on conferencing platforms.
• Privacy & security extensions: Tools like Cyberhaven, 1Password, or ad blockers typically require permission to read and modify data on all websites you visit to scan for risks, autofill login credentials, or identify and remove ads.

What makes extensions so useful—their ability to modify web pages, read traffic, access your calendars, and interact with browser APIs—is exactly what makes them an ideal entry point for supply chain attacks. When a trusted extension is compromised with, say, a malicious update, it can operate with highly privileged access, often bypassing standard DLP and network monitoring tools.

‍

Treating browser extensions as part of your IT estate

To truly secure the workforce from all angles, organizations must treat browser extensions with the same approach used for shadow IT, SaaS, and AI apps. They are, effectively, software installed by employees that interacts with corporate data.

‍

With the rise of AI-powered extensions like Monica and Sider—which were featured on Google's list of top Chrome extensions—this visibility gap is only widening, with these more advanced extensions making your risk posture more difficult to manage. After all, you can't secure what you can't see.

‍

Discover and inventory all browser extensions

Nudge Security automatically discovers and inventories all browser extensions installed across your organization on Chromium, Edge, and Firefox browsers, including AI browsers like ChatGPT Atlas and Perplexity’s Comet browser.

‍

More than just a list of extensions in use, we give you deep, contextual visibility into:

• Installed extensions: Identify every installed extension, its version, and the browser it's deployed on.
• Risk profiles: See exactly what permissions an extension has requested, broken down by risk level (e.g., "High Risk" host permissions).
• User context: Understand who is using which extension and on which device.

‍

‍

By surfacing and evaluating extensions, you can identify high-risk tools, spot outdated or malicious versions, and enforce governance without slowing down your team's productivity.

‍

Start governing browser extensions with Nudge Security

Browser extensions are a staple of modern work, empowering employees to move faster and work smarter. But without oversight, they leave an open path for data exfiltration and exposure.

‍

It’s time to bring the same level of visibility and security monitoring to your browser environment that you demand for the rest of your technology stack.

‍

Get visibility into the browser extensions installed across your estate today. Start your free 14-day trial of Nudge Security.

‍

Frequently asked questions

Where does extension inventory collection happen?

Collection happens in the user’s browser via the Nudge browser extension. The extension reports extension inventory metadata so it can be surfaced in Nudge.

‍

Does Nudge monitor what I do with other extensions?

No. Nudge only collects information about which extensions are installed and their basic properties. It does not monitor your activities within those extensions or track how you use them.

‍

Does this feature work on all browsers?

This feature works on all Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, etc.) and Firefox that support the Management API. The implementation is browser-agnostic and uses standard browser APIs.

‍

What if the same extension exists in multiple browsers?

You’ll see it reflected per browser/marketplace context. If you deploy Nudge across multiple browsers, you’ll get visibility into each environment.