That AI Extension Helping You Write Emails? It’s Reading Them First

Palo Alto Unit 42 has identified 18 AI-powered browser extensions posing significant security risks. These extensions, masquerading as productivity tools, are actually delivering malicious payloads such as remote access trojans (RATs), MitM attacks, and infostealers. Attackers are leveraging generative AI (GenAI) to accelerate malware development, intercepting sensitive data like email content, ChatGPT prompts, and passwords by exploiting the privileged access granted to browser extensions. Google has taken action to remove or warn against these extensions, highlighting the need for users to exercise caution and scrutinize permissions.