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Malwarebytes Browser Guard Beta

Version 3.1.7 View in Chrome Web Store

Last scanned: about 5 hours ago

Extension Details

Developer: Malwarebytes

Rating: 3.7 ★ (23 ratings)

Users: 10,000

Context-Aware Verdict

MEDIUM

Overall Risk

Trust Factors:

Malwarebytes is a well-established and reputable cybersecurity company with a strong track record in malware protection. The extension has 10,000 users, indicating reasonable adoption. However, the relatively low rating of 3.7 out of 23 reviews suggests some user dissatisfaction, and being a "Beta" version indicates it may still have stability or functionality issues.

Concerns:

The extensive permissions are concerning but largely justified for a security extension. The downloads permission could be misused to save malicious files, while webRequest allows intercepting all web traffic. The broad host permissions (<all_urls>) grant access to all websites, creating significant potential for data exposure if compromised. The combination of tabs, activeTab, and scripting permissions provides substantial browser control capabilities. Content scripts running on sensitive sites like Google accounts and LinkedIn increase the attack surface.

Recommendations:

Given Malwarebytes' reputation, the permissions align with legitimate security functionality, but the beta status and mixed reviews warrant caution. Consider running this extension in a separate Chrome profile to isolate potential risks. Monitor the extension's behavior and disable it if you notice unusual activity. Wait for the stable release version if possible, as beta software may have undiscovered vulnerabilities. Regularly review what data the extension accesses and ensure you're comfortable with Malwarebytes' privacy practices.

Findings

HIGH

Broad Host Permissions

This extension has broad host permissions allowing it to access many or all websites. This could potentially be used to steal sensitive data or track browsing activity.

HIGH

High-Risk Permission: downloads

This extension has the downloads permission. Can download files and access download history. This could potentially be used maliciously to compromise security or privacy.

HIGH

High-Risk Permission: tabs

This extension has the tabs permission. Can access browser tab information and manipulate tabs. This could potentially be used maliciously to compromise security or privacy.

HIGH

High-Risk Permission: webRequest

This extension has the webRequest permission. Can intercept and modify web requests. This could potentially be used maliciously to compromise security or privacy.

MEDIUM

Medium-Risk Permission: activeTab

This extension has the activeTab permission. Can access the active tab when clicking the extension icon.

MEDIUM

Medium-Risk Permission: contextMenus

This extension has the contextMenus permission. Can add items to the context menu.

MEDIUM

Medium-Risk Permission: storage

This extension has the storage permission. Can store data locally.

MEDIUM

Medium-Risk Permission: unlimitedStorage

This extension has the unlimitedStorage permission. Can store unlimited data locally.

Security Analysis Details

Required Permissions:

alarms
downloads
storage
tabs
declarativeNetRequest
declarativeNetRequestFeedback
unlimitedStorage
webRequest
contextMenus
nativeMessaging
activeTab
scripting

Optional Permissions:

clipboardRead
clipboardWrite
history
contentSettings
privacy

Host Permissions:

<all_urls>

Content Security Policy:

extension_pages: default-src 'self'; base-uri 'self'; object-src 'none'; script-src 'self'; frame-ancestors 'none'; frame-src 'none'; worker-src 'self'; img-src 'self' data:; style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline'; font-src 'self'; connect-src 'self' *;

Embedded URLs (457 total):

https://myaccount.google.com/profile	https://tailwindcss.com
https://github.com/mozdevs/cssremedy/issues/4	https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=190655
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=999088	https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=201297
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=935729	https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=195016
https://github.com/mozdevs/cssremedy/issues/14	https://github.com/jensimmons/cssremedy/issues/14#issuecomment-634934210
https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/issues/3300	https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/issues/17194
https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/issues/18499	https://github.com/mozilla/gecko-dev/blob/2f9eacd9d3d995c937b4251a5557d95d494c9be1/layout/style/res/forms.css#L728-L737
http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php	https://drafts.csswg.org/css-values-3/#urls
https://react.dev/errors/	http://www.w3.org/2000/svg
http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML	http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink
http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace	https://example.com
https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/form-control-infrastructure.html#plain-text-form-data	https://reactrouter.com/en/main/routers/picking-a-router.
https://reactrouter.com/start/framework/route-module#hydratefallback	https://reactrouter.com/start/framework/route-module#meta
https://reactrouter.com/how-to/error-boundary	https://github.com/ungap/url-search-params.
https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/blob/v3.2.2/src/util/splitAtTopLevelOnly.js	https://github.com/dcastil/tailwind-merge/issues/513#issuecomment-2614029864
https://github.com/lukeed/clsx	https://github.com/lukeed/clsx/blob/v1.2.1/src/index.js
https://github.com/lukeed/clsx/blob/v1.2.1/clsx.d.ts	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/theme#theme-variable-namespaces
https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/17378	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/aspect-ratio
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/container	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/columns
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/break-after	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/break-before
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/break-inside	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/box-decoration-break
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/box-sizing	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/display
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/display#screen-reader-only	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/float
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/clear	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/isolation
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/object-fit	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/object-position
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/overflow	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/overscroll-behavior
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/position	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/top-right-bottom-left
https://github.com/tailwindlabs/tailwindcss/pull/19613	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/visibility
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/z-index	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/flex-basis
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/flex-direction	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/flex-wrap
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/flex	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/flex-grow
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/flex-shrink	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/order
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/grid-template-columns	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/grid-column
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/grid-template-rows	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/grid-row
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/grid-auto-flow	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/grid-auto-columns
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/grid-auto-rows	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/gap
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/justify-content	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/justify-items
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/justify-self	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/align-content
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/align-items	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/align-self
https://tailwindcss.com/docs/place-content	https://tailwindcss.com/docs/place-items

Page 1 of 6

Raw Manifest

{
  "name": "Malwarebytes Browser Guard Beta",
  "icons": {
    "16": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-16x16.png",
    "32": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-32x32.png",
    "48": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-48x48.png",
    "64": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-64x64.png",
    "96": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-96x96.png",
    "200": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-200x200.png",
    "256": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-256x256.png",
    "512": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-512x512.png"
  },
  "action": {
    "default_icon": {
      "16": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-16x16.png",
      "32": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-32x32.png",
      "48": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-48x48.png",
      "64": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-64x64.png",
      "96": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-96x96.png",
      "200": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-200x200.png",
      "256": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-256x256.png",
      "512": "app/assets/bg-icon/bg-favicon-512x512.png"
    },
    "default_popup": "app/popup/index.html",
    "default_title": "Malwarebytes"
  },
  "author": "Malwarebytes",
  "version": "3.1.7",
  "incognito": "split",
  "background": {
    "service_worker": "background.js"
  },
  "update_url": "https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx",
  "description": "__MSG_appDesc__",
  "permissions": [
    "alarms",
    "downloads",
    "storage",
    "tabs",
    "declarativeNetRequest",
    "declarativeNetRequestFeedback",
    "unlimitedStorage",
    "webRequest",
    "contextMenus",
    "nativeMessaging",
    "activeTab",
    "scripting"
  ],
  "default_locale": "en",
  "content_scripts": [
    {
      "js": [
        "content-debugging.js"
      ],
      "run_at": "document_start",
      "matches": [
        "https://browserguard.local/*"
      ]
    },
    {
      "js": [
        "content-scripts.js"
      ],
      "run_at": "document_start",
      "matches": [
        "http://*/*",
        "https://*/*"
      ],
      "all_frames": true,
      "match_about_blank": true
    },
    {
      "js": [
        "content-oap-notification.js"
      ],
      "run_at": "document_idle",
      "matches": [
        "https://myaccount.google.com/*"
      ]
    },
    {
      "js": [
        "content-linkedin.js"
      ],
      "run_at": "document_idle",
      "matches": [
        "https://www.linkedin.com/*"
      ]
    },
    {
      "js": [
        "content-shell-main.js"
      ],
      "world": "MAIN",
      "run_at": "document_start",
      "matches": [
        "http://*/*",
        "https://*/*"
      ],
      "all_frames": true,
      "match_about_blank": true
    },
    {
      "js": [
        "injection-tss-mv3.js"
      ],
      "world": "MAIN",
      "run_at": "document_start",
      "matches": [
        "http://*/*",
        "https://*/*"
      ],
      "all_frames": true,
      "match_about_blank": true
    }
  ],
  "host_permissions": [
    "<all_urls>"
  ],
  "manifest_version": 3,
  "optional_permissions": [
    "clipboardRead",
    "clipboardWrite",
    "history",
    "contentSettings",
    "privacy"
  ],
  "externally_connectable": {
    "matches": [
      "*://*.malwarebytes.com/*"
    ]
  },
  "content_security_policy": {
    "extension_pages": "default-src 'self'; base-uri 'self'; object-src 'none'; script-src 'self'; frame-ancestors 'none'; frame-src 'none'; worker-src 'self'; img-src 'self' data:; style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline'; font-src 'self'; connect-src 'self' *;"
  },
  "declarative_net_request": {
    "rule_resources": [
      {
        "id": "mbgc.mv3.whitelist_1",
        "path": "db/mbgc.mv3.whitelist_1.json",
        "enabled": true
      },
      {
        "id": "mbgc.mv3.ads_1",
        "path": "db/mbgc.mv3.ads_1.json",
        "enabled": false
      },
      {
        "id": "mbgc.mv3.ads_2",
        "path": "db/mbgc.mv3.ads_2.json",
        "enabled": false
      },
      {
        "id": "mbgc.mv3.malware_1",
        "path": "db/mbgc.mv3.malware_1.json",
        "enabled": false
      },
      {
        "id": "mbgc.mv3.easylist_1",
        "path": "db/mbgc.mv3.easylist_1.json",
        "enabled": false
      },
      {
        "id": "mbgc.mv3.easyprivacy_1",
        "path": "db/mbgc.mv3.easyprivacy_1.json",
        "enabled": false
      },
      {
        "id": "mbgc.arw",
        "path": "db/mbgc.arw.json",
        "enabled": true
      },
      {
        "id": "mbgc.mv3.always_allow_DNR",
        "path": "db/mbgc.mv3.always_allow_DNR.json",
        "enabled": true
      }
    ]
  },
  "web_accessible_resources": [
    {
      "matches": [
        "<all_urls>"
      ],
      "resources": [
        "*.eot",
        "*.ttf",
        "*.woff",
        "*.woff2",
        "app/popup/assets/icons/*"
      ],
      "use_dynamic_url": true
    },
    {
      "matches": [
        "<all_urls>"
      ],
      "resources": [
        "app/assets/close-icon.svg",
        "app/assets/tooltip.svg",
        "app/eventpages/debugger.html",
        "app/eventpages/downloading.html",
        "app/eventpages/block-notification.html",
        "app/eventpages/breach-notification.html",
        "app/eventpages/block-notification.css",
        "app/eventpages/block-notification-dark.css",
        "app/eventpages/breach-notification.css",
        "app/eventpages/breach-notification-dark.css",
        "app/eventpages/monthly-notification.html",
        "app/eventpages/monthly-notification.css",
        "app/eventpages/monthly-notification-dark.css",
        "app/assets/check-icon.svg",
        "app/assets/check-icon-dark.svg",
        "app/eventpages/release-notification.html",
        "app/eventpages/release-notification.css",
        "app/eventpages/release-notification-dark.css",
        "app/eventpages/clipboard-notification.html",
        "app/eventpages/clipboard-notification.css",
        "app/eventpages/clipboard-notification-dark.css",
        "app/eventpages/search-hijacking-notification.html",
        "app/eventpages/search-hijacking-notification.css",
        "app/eventpages/search-hijacking-notification-dark.css",
        "app/eventpages/ruleset-error.html",
        "injection-instart.js",
        "injection-tss-mv3.js",
        "injection-tss-notification.js",
        "injection-topics.js",
        "injection-tss-skimmer.js",
        "vendor/*",
        "app/content-style.css",
        "app/popup/index.html",
        "app/popup/popup.css"
      ],
      "use_dynamic_url": true
    }
  ]
}

by ✦ Astarte

Malwarebytes Browser Guard Beta

Extension Details

Context-Aware Verdict

Findings

Security Analysis Details

Required Permissions:

Optional Permissions:

Host Permissions:

Content Security Policy:

Embedded URLs (457 total):

Raw Manifest

Detections

Manifest Findings