Browser extension risk assessment for Chrome and Edge
A browser extension adds functionality to a tool your staff use throughout the working day. Its permissions, code and third-party components deserve the same scrutiny as other software your organisation relies on.
MobSTR brings Chrome and Edge extensions into your application risk assessment. Use a Chrome Web Store or Microsoft Edge Add-Ons URL to add an extension for review; Chrome and Edge CRX file uploads are also supported.
Assess findings alongside the extension’s business purpose, the information it may access and the sensitivity of the environment in which it will be used. Store availability is one input to that decision.
Review access, code and dependencies
- Permissions: understand the access an extension requests and whether it fits the intended task.
- Code findings: review security issues and patterns that require further investigation.
- Third-party components: examine dependencies that may introduce additional exposure.
- Privacy context: use InterroPol privacy-policy validation to compare policy claims with available technical evidence.
A finding should inform a review of the assessed version and its intended use. It does not, by itself, establish that every installation is compromised or unsuitable.
Make an approval decision you can explain
Give CISOs, digital risk officers and compliance teams a clearer basis for approval, restriction or further investigation. Consider who needs the extension, which business process depends on it, and what additional controls or supplier evidence may be needed.
Bring extension assessments into the same workflow as mobile application security testing and third-party Microsoft Teams app assessment. This helps application reviews contribute to a wider third-party risk strategy.
Use the platform’s reporting and audit trail to retain findings and the reasoning behind your decisions.
Build extension checks into ongoing oversight
An approval records a decision at a point in time. Revisit that decision when the assessed version, permissions, business use or available evidence changes.
MobSTR brings application analysis and continuous risk monitoring together. During a demonstration, the team can show how monitoring and review workflows fit the applications and extensions in your estate.
Common browser extension security questions
Which browsers does MobSTR support?
MobSTR assesses extensions from the Chrome Web Store and Microsoft Edge Add-Ons. Chrome and Edge CRX uploads are also supported.
Does an extension’s store listing mean it is suitable for our organisation?
Marketplace checks provide useful assurance. Your organisation still needs to consider permissions, technical findings, data sensitivity and business use before deciding whether to approve it.
Can we review privacy policies as well as security findings?
InterroPol adds privacy-policy analysis and claim validation against the technical evidence available from MobSTR. It helps teams identify questions about data collection, sharing and international transfers that need investigation.
Where does this fit in third-party risk management?
Browser extensions are third-party software dependencies. Including them in supplier and application reviews helps teams assess their access, business importance and the consequences of a weakness or disruption.
Read the archived research discussion on dangerous Chrome extensions ↗