Bitcoin Forum

Its been a long time since ive knew that browser extensions are bad news and in fact they should consider red flags, you can easily get viruses on your pc or even spyware but the latest news about these so called browser extensions is they can be used to steal your coins, consider this a warning for those who use chrome and mozilla firefox browser extensions regularly. I came across the warning while surfing the internet today.

Browser extensions can help scammers steal your crypto Casa CEO Jeremy Welch warned the audience at the Baltic Honeybadger conference in Riga this weekend.

Sorry i couldn't drop link to the full news because i got the warning news from pivot news which would require you to download app before reading any news, share this warning with friends and crypto fans especially newbies

My guess, they cannot if you encrypt the wallet? Or they can do it even with an encrypted wallet?

Fake metamask extensions also existed in the chrome webstore and many disadvantages to crypto users who use chrome. Be more vigilant about using extensions. Download the original metamask extension only on the official metamask website.

Low quality browser extensions can definitely steal your browsing data so your wallet is at risk too, it is just a new kind of malware/spyware that we used to see in desktops where scammers use such things to steal private data, details and passwords.

I use only the main extensions: metamask / TRX wallet and a few more applications for working with graphic design. I think all major licensed extensions are safe

Browser extensions might lure people into something that will allow them to access their wallets within the browser they are using.

In technical aspects, they can't do something harm automatically after being installed unless the victim will open the gate. These extensions do have the ability to copy the logs on that browser including stealing login details while typing (keylogger).

As a safety precaution, don't just install any browser extensions. We don't need most of those.

And this happens more and more because bounty and airdrop participants should download some software into their PC/mobile phones to get rewards but they do not realize that such software may be infected with a virus.  ::)

Yes I agree
THis is why you have got to be careful when installing browser extensions
Most especially metamask extension; be sure to be in concentration always

If you notice any wrong move on your laptop; conduct a system recovery

extensions are dangerous if they are not checked by official sources and the user who downloads them accepts responsibility for his actions

Although. I use extensions a lot, but I downloaded one recently, which deals with video conversion, but ever since I got it, I have been skeptical about it, however, the warning you just gave has triggered me to get it deleted. Despite not having so many coins in my wallet, I still need to ensure I am safe. Not because of now, but for the sake of the future.

So we must always be careful before downloading any application or extension. Hackers always use a variety of ways, targeting your weaknesses, waiting for you to let your guard down, to steal your money. Don't get caught phishing, this is very detrimental. Always use the internet carefully.

you're right, I once added the hola extension in chrome, wallet eth on myetherwallet was stolen by hack and I saw the hack add eth, so many of their stolen tokens.

You should always be very carefully what programs you are installing. Most intallations are scams to deceive users so for my security I don't install shitcoin related software. Install less is better and most software isn't useful so we don't need it really.

They can do even you are using the encrypted wallet. Remember about the browser extension is not about phishing and it can contain a virus-like trojan that can hijack your computer and steal all of your data silently.
The browser developer is not putting strict verification to verify the credibility of such extension and this is the problem.
So many cases about the encrypted wallet got stolen.

Mostly phishing extensions steal your coins, like fake metamask extension a while back. They make user enter their seed/password and then scammer use this data to steal coins.

Yes, indeed, incorrectly written extensions (with errors in the program code) can become a loophole for attackers. In this way, I myself lost a significant amount of Ether. I used an extension in the browser to access the Ethereum network, which did not hide the private key. As a result, I lost the entire amount that was on my wallet.

It's not a new news though. It's going for a long time and guys who are into airdrop and bounties know about it. I would say check the no. of downloads and reviews before installing the extension and for wallet softwares I would say install an anti-malware or an antivirus software.

It can come with fake wallet also.

There is a possibility that could happen because it installed third-party applications in your browser. More careful to access your wallet and keep the private key always safe.

I'm not surprised at this because this can happen because cryptocurrency is currently popular. this causes a hacker or a malicious developer to take a moment by creating an extensions that has a rat (remote administration tools) to take our cryptocurrency, and avoiding it easy enough to download extensions via chrome store or store from the browser but download it through the web and make sure you don't choose the wrong web.

I have heard some spyware and probably this kind of extension that automatically change the address when you are about to send some coins into the scammer's address. If you didn't put enough attention it could easily steal your money away from you.

Maybe you just need a specific and secured browser if you want to use online wallet and keep mantaining your PC if you use desktop wallet.

Hi there. Is Metamask included with this kind of viruses.
I just did it recently and now I have read about this thread of yours.

Dont really know a deep information about this extensions.
All I know is Metamask is being prioritize since it had been the easier method.
Am I still in a safe journey now? All my Ethereum and other coins is there and I dont want it to be in jeopardy.

I have used some browser extension but not really trusted them much just as I don't know how they are getting data from us. Just as how google collected our data.


Browser extension like metamask is needed by users who wants to work on ethlance. Such wallet works for people who got use to it quickly and they also store their money there from the Jobs they took. The importnat thing to do just when you user browser extension is I guess to download the extension from the team's website itself where they give out the link to their products.

I think anything that we download from internet, usually must be careful with it. I am in computer that only for crypto never download anything except picture for avatar in signature campaign. I think for now anything can be platform for malware or any kind like that to infect our computer. That is why i do like that when i get paid from signature campaign, i spare money to save and buy computer only to open wallet.

If extensions are scammy then it will be just the same as visiting scam website directly and telling the scam to come and steal our fund or we give them the right to install spy ware on our laptop that will make the scammer be able to monitor our cryptocurrency account and then steal our fund.

We really need to be very careful of the extension that we install, not all extension are actually bad, we just have to make sure that we follow extension from companies that are very reliable and not just the ones that we see verified, because even the verified ones will never tell the story that they have such thing, because it is very difficult to trace an extension to malware, so the only way to avoid it is either we don’t install the software at all or we extremely ensure that the company is a reliable one.

I never read and heard it before. Anyway thanks for this article it is very helpful and now for sure many people are aware in this threat that's why I always prefer to use ledger wallet.

Browser extensions can only steal browsing cache and data but i haven't seen whereby browser plugin spreading malware and virus, although nothing is impossible, the wallets that are in high risk to browser plugins are online web wallets and metamask plugin extension since they store data in browser data space

I've been using some browser extensions for my work and so far they are good for me, as long as the extension is verified and had a good reviews and those extensions have proven to be safe, some of the extensions I'm using is the Alexa and download manager.

Bit if you are downloading browser extensions from a third party then you better check it twice or thrice this is where hackers find their way to hack your wallet.

I heard this browser extension news. I stopped using browser extension before this i used in chrome extension. If browser has low support by user than shouldn't use browser extension. First support for extension software is Mozilla Firefox in 2004.

Well if you don't  know here is one, some browser plugin can get total control over your pc, its like somekind of hijacking, it happened to me once when i was looking for a VPN plugin for firefox broswer, i had no choice but to format my entire Harddrive to get rid of the malware or whatever it was

Just use as few browsers or outside applications as possible and you should be fine. Ideally you aren't using Chrome at all and you're using another browser, but if you must, just keep extensions like uBlock Origin and nothing extra or extensions with very low download counts in case there's malicious code hidden inside. You do gain convenience from using browser extensions to simplify things from automatically refreshing a page to autofilling, but you're also sacrificing security by doing so, and in many cases that's worth much more than the time you save with those extensions.

And that's why I do not use this extensions despite the fact that it has its inherent advantages, but they cannot be compared with the risk that's coming into play when you actually use them.

I'm one of those bitcoin enthusiast who's too concerned about security and safety, and I think it's a good thing to do, it has aided me so well that I've not fallen for any scam since I started operating on the network, any thing such as extensions that has a tendency to make me lose my bitcoins, I do not use, and if I do, I make sure they are the legit ones and also use all preventive measures available, everyone should indeed act that way.

Here are some news article for that warning:
Browser Extensions Can Help Scammers Steal Your Bitcoin: Casa CEO (https://www.coindesk.com/browser-extensions-can-help-scammers-steal-your-bitcoin-casa-ceo)
Browser Extensions Can Steal KYC Data, Alter BTC Transactions (https://www.financemagnates.com/cryptocurrency/news/browser-extensions-can-steal-kyc-data-alter-btc-transactions/)
Be aware of what kind of extensions you download.

If browser extensions can steal bitcoin, that means they've got some level of privacy infringement. Obviously, it's extensions from scammers which are mainly unofficial. This doesn't apply to web3 extensions like metamask so that shouldn't be a generalised statement. Aside browser extensions, some malicious keyboards can steal your private keys or mnemonic phrases. So my advise is, do not install 3rd party keyboards at all.

Fake Metamask extension is widely used for phishing the crypto customers but there are other ways of scamming people. The fake wallets are the requirements for the crypto bounty programs and the same working principle is actual for the fraud browser extensions. Before downloading the third-party software especially the browser extensions, checking the source from the site is a good idea for not becoming a next victim of the scammers.

I also use the Brave and Chrome browser on the both personal computer and notebook. The security of the crypto wallets is my primary anxiety however, the fake applications can leak the data from the personal computer. After downloading the third-party sofware I look for the additional information like feedback by other users, the rating of the extension. If the extension has rated over 3 stars and the count of feedbacks exceed the 10k, I will not think again to check the trustworthiness of the extension.

Any extension can read what you do and send on the internet. And some are used to debug a webpage... That's mean they can read all what you type and what website you are surfing on.
They are all potential threat to steal your passwords, private keys and information if the developers of thoses extensions decide to recover all the datas.
That's why an extension should only be activate when necessary.

The simply truth is, one has to be very careful with the extensions they download to their systems. This is because, extensions could easily be spywares and malwares developed by scammers to take hold of your information and report back to them to enable them still sensitive information with the sole purpose of defrauding innocent people. It is very possible to hear people cry of login details being compromised, this is one of the ways in which important information can be stolen and theft carried out. 

I have never heard about Bitcoin stealing, with a browser extension, but Yes, I have heard several browser extension, chrome, in this case, can hack into your MetaMask account and then send all of your assets (not only ETH) but all the asset in your MetaMask wallet. This happened year ago, so I think it has been fixed. So, it is not impossible that someone tries to steal your bitcoin using browsing extension. My advice would be, never use a browser wallet, or else never install any 3rd party browser extension.

To be completely safe you need to use only safety programs. In no case do not install applications from untrusted manufacturers. Before installing each program, it is necessary to verify the checksum. The only way you protect yourself from fraudsters using the modified program.

I have read an article and experienced by my own friend because installing some extensions in their browser, the extension owner can be used to steal passwords owned by the computer owner, it's better when you have to be careful when you want to install extensions.

Possibility to steal your bitcoin by using browser extensions is always there in that case you need tobe careful, I never heared any news that someone steal bitcoin by using extension but using this extension is so risky before adding any extension to your browser be sure it is safe to use.

Yeah right. There are malicious software that are also injecting malware into your computer, AFAIK it's not literally that it will search for your private keys or phrases but it's like a keylogger that everything you copy will be saved to their database. I don't know the full cycle of how they steal it but as a user, we should consider the need of being aware of this kind of stealing.
Don't download untrusted sources because those kind of malware mainly comes from those.

There are chances to get evaded through extensions. It is always good to go with trusted extensions and never install unwanted extensions. In an article read about people using free VPN services to stay anonymous, while doing so users go through the VPN and enter all the personal passwords for the wallet. This is been stored by the VPN network and funds were stolen. So always good to use trusted extensions as well other services.

That's what I'm afraid of, I've never installed any extensions for fear that things that happen are better stored in documents that are safer than browser extensions.

Really? it's very dangerous. Third-party applications always ask for access to explore your account. It is very important for us to read the instructions displayed, choose wisely. Things to consider before giving access are: how secure the application or extension is and what account data is requested. Always be careful with your clicks.

It's still best to choose which extensions we should download and install for our browser. There are a lot or things that extentions can do that's why it should be taken seriously. There are times that some users doesn't notice it that's why their wallet should be either encrypted or stored to a cold wallet.

I have always known we have phishing extensions. Last year some persons got their hydro stolen and other assets because of phishing browser extension. My question is are are these: Will my original added metamask extension also turn to stealing my coins? I have real Myetherwallet, folkdelta and metamask extension. The site are well spelt and have been using them for years now, hope this poses no threat?

Or its better not to use browser extensions at all, doing so won't  hurt at all and if its a must all browser extensions always have standalone official software that you can download from official websites, finding its right source is not hard at all

i don't think so, if sometime we tried to open our wallet, for example Myetherwallet, when we trying to open our wallet from the site, we must choose (usually) json file or private key, i think they can read the decrypt key from this site and send the code to owner from this extension, like keylogger but with another improvement for read the decrypt key directly from our browser

Not all extensions are scammy, some just have some weak coding and vulnerability that is not discovered by their own developers. And then when the hackers find it they can exploit it,,, and users are the unknowing victim until the hack becomes public.

One way to prevent this is to make your extension open source.

be quit with browser extension on your computer, always check first before you installing your extension on your browser, I found many fake extension always show up on my browser.

Everything what you have installed in your computer can be infected by a computer virus, keep it in your mind.
That is why hardware wallets are recommended because no one is able to see your private key. :)

this is scary, now more and more ways for someone to steal money in our wallets without us knowing.
it seems i should be more careful when visiting or using anything on my computer.

i think i should thank the OP for giving me an early warning.

wow, it looks like thieves are getting smarter now.
now they find other ways to benefit in their pockets, it seems we have to be more vigilant in using anything or visiting anything through our computer.

now i have to pay close attention to everything so that there is no chance for them to infiltrate my computer.

I believe that the fewer applications and extensions on the device the safer. But if you install extensions and applications, then be sure to check them out.

If I imagine that also MetaMask could be hijacked then it is pretty normal to be paranoid.
In cryptocurrencies you are responsible for your funds, if you do one mistake, you can loose everything, it is very important to know that there is no way how to get your stolen funds back  :'(.

Probably there's a possibility if you use a fake extension to your browser, wherein made only to hack information.  Indeed mostly project nowadays using metamask extension and on this case there's  a high chance they can steal our private information easily in my opinion  , so we must be aware using that as well .make sure that the project were trusted to assure it's  safe to use because you know it's hard to determine easily because of copy pasting designed and etc.  

I love to read that article to see how reliable is the news, I'm using a lot of extensions, and so far I'm safe but these extensions are popular extensions in the market and they are verified extensions, people should only worry if they downloaded it in a third party because they are not verified from Google extensions.

It is best to never install any extension or application on your computer. Because your money can be stolen at any time, always be careful if you don't want to cry and regret

Especially, when you are installing some fraud extensions that are offered from scammers. I got a telegram DM several months ago, where a guy promised to multiply my earnings, just by installing a chrome extension.

Oh, so this kind of keyboard is on the market? I thought these malicious keyboard stuffs were all just malicious software.

Of the many cases that I read, browser extensions can indeed be dangerous, I remember in 2018 there were many news about the case of one of the VPN service providers who apparently stole the crypto assets of its users, it's just that I have never experienced a case of loss due to browser extensions, but I think this can be prevented by installing browser extensions that come from the official and not using pirated browser extensions and in this way our desktop is still safe.

In this online world, we need to be very careful with the unknown people because without knowing complete details about the extension and it is not suggestible to install a browser extension. Mostly they will install scamming code which they will hack all our details.

There's a great chance that people can steal your crypto using browser extensions if you install the fake ones, there's a lot of fake extensions out there and people must be careful and install only the legitimate ones.

Browser extension are known to cause more harm from the start. Many malicious extensions cause different harms but we can't actually live without any extension.
It would be wise to browse safe and keep as minimum number of extension as possible. Malwarebytes does a good job in checking extensions.
Creating a good block list in your host files can save you from many malware inducing websites.

If you want to avoid being hacked you should think about using a hardware wallet (Ledger Nano, Trezor etc).

Even if your PC is infected with viruses or malware,  the private key will never leave your device. However,  always double check the destination Btc address.

It seems to me that it is better not to use browser extensions that are associated with cryptocurrency. There is MEW, and nothing else is needed. But this is my personal opinion. Everyone risks as he wants. Yes, the same MetaMask is very easy to use. But I will still trust the official mew website more and use the Ledger, where no one will do anything without me.

It is good to be paranoid online and then extra paranoid with crypto AND being online.

I still have to trust certain things of course, we all do,,, but the bigger the funds involved and the bigger the data involved,,, the more paranoid we have to be.

As much as possible stick to open source so even if bugs are discovered, they can be quickly fixed.

Yes this is possible . The reason is because hackers make clones of this extension and majority of people are not able to differentiate it from the original one . People should be really careful about using extension from browsers !

what you say is true that browser extensions are very vulnerable to data theft, including crypto users must be vigilant before downloading applications or when accessing through a browser. especially prize hunters who are required to download software via cellphone / pc, in fact it is very vulnerable to your data.

extensions for the browser or generally a system also for other activities to use is very dangerous.
it is just as risky to download different apps from the playstore and use real data there.
in case of doubt, please always do without convenience and do not use extensions or apps for certain processes. :)

there are many ways for hacker to steal someone bitcoin or cryptocurrency. if you mean browser extension its maybe like keylogger. They can record our browser history or password save. for some case someone saving their password automatic to browser. so it can be chance for hacker to steal it

Sometimes those extensions are hiddenly mined on your PC which will make your PC slow.
I read about that long time ago where people use some kind of apps on phone and some browser extension
to mine on the PC without the owner noticing.
As for the hacking method, this is new for me gladly you post it here so everyone who reads this will be aware.

You have a point there. Anything can happen in crypto. Original extension can develop bugs. If you are skeptical about these extensions, I think you should have dedicated wallets specifically for trading and they should be changed often. And then, different wallets to store your assets away from any online activities. One can still play safe with this.

This is the reason I'd never put some extension in my browser and keep it clean. Though I'm not experiencing loss of my files or BTC(at worst) but I don't want the point that it will come to me in the future. Not only it will trace our transaction but also could open up for viruses through browser extensions.
For the safe keep, we better not to use extensions if it is new to us.

I also read some articles about browser extensions that may be spyware, which can steal user information. For people with digital assets, asset protection is the highest priority. so I usually don't use browser extensions even though they have many advantages.

I prefer to use a browser without anything extensions if i use a wallet, yes these extensions  may steal your coins easy

It has long been known and there were many cases when the expansion was the reason that the money was stolen, especially I remember a lot of Ethereum was stolen that year.

You should be very careful installing that kind of extensions i've been using the metamask extensions before but i stopped it because it's not economically  wise, when you cancel the transactions they will make another, in other words you will lose a lot of gas because of the repeated send. I've used the tron link extensions because there is no other way to play on tron base online casino without installing it.

Maybe just install a new browser instead, there are plenty and there are some versions of chrome and firefox that are not confronting the existed browser that you are currently using. However I just prefer to use desktop wallet I mean if it's using computer why don't just install a desktop wallet instead of using that kinda unreliable little extension wallet.

We must use only the trusted and legit extension to prevent peoples hack our wallet.
Always be careful when we add some extension to our browser, make sure it is the right one, not fake.

Does anyone knows, is it safe to stay logged in etherdelta (forkdelta) or I should log-out every time? I have a few transaction pending for 10 hours (tokens are being sent to exchange) and I suppose, if I log-out, I will lose my tokens...

I'm using latest version of Chrome. I dont have any widgets or extensions installed. But who knows if something is installed, is hidden and the hacker is just waiting for attack.

Then you don't know that you can build your own browser extension? same as hackers too, they build browser extensions with back keyloggers or God knows what,i have read about this on the internet too and yes they exists

Yes its true i also heard about extensions who can hacking a lot of alt coins and tracking their personal data  that's why we should take anonymous aspects to avoid hacking i think brave browser is best one that allows you to avoid hacking and this browser is also capable to destroy viruses that may save your system in diligent way.

I prefer to always exit my metamask and never hold it associated with my wallet. I use it only if I need to quickly connect to the exchange or to any dapp

Remember, that everything what is connected to the internet is dangerous. Fortunately, we have the option to keep our private keys always offline, thanks to hardware wallet devices.  8)

that's a pity, really. i had no idea that extensions are harmful to such degree. who do we trust then? what browser is more or less safe?

There is a very less chance that wallet extension can steal your private key. But it is not impossible. So.it would be better of you would use some extension which is very much popular. Still ifnyou are connected to internet its risky.l

I have never used the internet to open my wallet, save my private key on a computer device that is very safe compared to having to use extensions in the browser.

they can't still if you don't just copy paste your private key on the internet. most they can do is to keylog your browser compare to an application than will harm your whole pc.

But I always heard and advised by the big companies and projects always use browser extensions like Meta mask etc to save your coins/tokens.

That's fine if you use it only for temporary time and not having too much money stored in there. But, if you are planning to use a wallet for a long time and storing so much money there extension wallet is not recommended although it may have some sort of 2 factor authentication but it's still an extension of a browser after all, doesn't really have the best security.
There are hardware wallet and desktop wallet that are recommendable for a long term crypto users. As I see most of the company that recommends extension wallet are those who just thinking that their users is using those wallet only for sending money and that's not wrong.

yes I personally agree with you more, my intention is to use MetaMask depending on your needs and not have to linger to store crypto assets in browser extensions or MetaMask. because it is quite risky if there is a third party concerned.

We all now that low quality browsers and their extensions can steal your browsing data, so it is for sure that they can steal your crypto. I use only trusted browsers and extensions that are checked by official sources. And I am always careful what programs I am installing, especially if bounty program obliges me to download it.

People that are interested in cryptocurrencies now finally understand how dangerous internet could be.
Every program installed on computer could be potentially infected by malware. Informations about your computer activities could be abused, be aware!

It was proven and many things happened.
That is why i dont use any extensions on my browser, does it really needed?
You can manually have it right? for better protection and you can't resist on using them then have a separate computer for your cryptocurrency.

To be honest, I trust only Metamask as an extension. I do not know many more but it is the one what I have been using for a long time and did not have a problem so far. IF you use some others that is easy to use, please recommend me some so I can try.  People need to ve careful of thos extensions as they can steal their information, private keys and everything.

From the beginning until now I have never had a problem with the browser extension. Unless you install software that carries viruses in the device you are using. That is what causes the virus into the PC that you use. That also causes your crypto to be stolen.

yes i should helps bct forum member if with interest to sees of work with similar program of extension as the function on capturing notables on keystrokes and links on history as might the use to gives with chance on users to avoid risks of hacking.

You are right. The internet is the biggest tool hackers can use against an individual and the fact that a majority of people who trade cryptos don't know this is alarming. Just a little malware and your computer will start singing like a canary bird to the hacker. We need to shift more focus on cryptocurrency education like the years before 2018

Nothing is safe in the online world a taking additional security steps for protecting personal information is necessary. Before installing the browser extension checking the feedback by other users and reading the source of code will be a good decision for protecting the crypto holdings. I never install the software from the third-party sites and the lack of trust forces me to double-check any extension include crypto browser extensions.

This is why you never install low rated extensions and those who are not certified from google/mozilla or any browser you're using. It seems that a lot of malwares are circle again on social medias , browsers and this could lead to a hint that we are about to switch to a bull run soon ? because scams and malwares are always present when a swing of the market is about to happen so lets hope that this swing comes sooner that we think.
Also use only Chrome and Mozilla and if you don't need extensions don't use them and keep your coins into personal wallets or Nano Ledger for extra safety.

Yes that's true heard about some browser extensions which did that and they were reported and taken down. Also there are some which will come in the form of bitcoin mining extension once installed ends up stealing users data. Let's be careful of the extension we install, metamask has been proven to be genuine, we can stick with that or any other which is recommended; anything mining extension should not be installed.

It should be noted that the Metamask extension for the Firefox/Chrome browser is necessary to the secure trading of ERC20 tokens on decentralized exchanges such as Etherdelta/Forkdelta/IDEX. Other similar sites and services which work with Ethereum smart contracts also require this plugin. Therefore, the Metamask extension is very useful and should be downloaded from the official website and verified via the file checksum.

Personally I do not trust most browser plugins that were created by fraudsters to steal coins from naive people. Undoubtedly, browser extension must be open source in order to any user can inspect and build the software using a local compiler.

I have a bad experience with extensions in the browser. About a year ago.
This happens when I want to withdraw bitcoin and make money.
This extension covers the bitcoin address of the exchange with its own address. Initially I thought the exchange changed the deposit address. But after a few hours I complained to the support exchange. It turned out that the address I used for the deposit did not originate from the exchange.
Finally I investigated and found the answer. multi tab extension is what does all that. When I look at the bitcoin address, there are lots of balances. I think that's all the results of stealing.

The name is Multilogin
But seems Chrome was deleted that extension from the web store.
I think it can use any wallets to cover the real one. because I got 2 times stealed from it, BTC and the token from ETH.

It is. One of my friend using bitcoin mining extension on his chrome browser and after a few days his bitcoin suddenly gone and transferred to another wallet. Tbh, most of unknown crypto browser extensions can steal your bitcoins. So be careful about that and never use crypto extension to your browser.

Oh my God. I just lost money when I installed this extension on my computer. All myetherwallet wallet assets were stolen

Of course, a friend of mine was a victim of this fake metamask. His funds were stolen after importing his wallet using the Private Keys. It is always good to cross check the metamask before downloading, especially pay attention to the fox logo. The fake ones are similar but not the same as the original.

I don't trust coins and browsers. It is better to have an online wallet and do investments than trust a coin with a browser or the sort.

wow this is even worse. They stole it by transferring your funds.
In my case, they only cover the correct address with their address.
But when we turn off the extension, they can't do it.

This is why we have to be so very careful with what we use instead of doing it blindly. I use a lot of Crypto Extensions (https://cryptolinks.com/cryptocurrency-chrome-extensions) on Chrome, but I ensure that whatever I am using is somewhat certain to be good. If we are using something that’s something we are uncertain about then we will not be able to benefit. So this is where we have to be just sensible and pick only proven and verified options, which I believe is something very much okay.

This is something that the hackers is doing everything to steal something from us. Through this browser extensions,  It is really safe that we need to install protection to our desktop pc from this things. That's why when I read here in the forum were Metamask can also be a tools to steal our coins, at once I remove the wallet I exported unto it then removed it also from chrome extension since it is not needed anymore.

We can call it a browser extension version of the keylogger. They have a single purpose that aims to steal from us. During the transferring to the address browser extension changes the typed symbols and the old address will be replaced with the new one. Before confirming the transaction, double-checking the address and other details is necessary in order to protect our crypto holdings in such cases. Turning off the extension is not solution, a clean install of the browser and OS will be a efficient solution before any accident happens.

There are lots of browser extensions coming up for each and every coin. In my experience metamask works good for ETH. Never came across anything or bitcoin yet. However we have to be extremely careful about these browser extensions.

I think the just youse the vulnerability that replaces your BTC address hen your copy past it

Yes, it is true. But at that time I was investigating what was making all this mess. When I turn off the multilogin, the BTC exchange address returns to normal. So the conclusion that I got at that time, the extension could not change the address when inactive. Surely after knowing that I immediately uninstalled the extension.

This is a new for me and I am thankful that you mention this one. My friend once told me that some "free" browser extensions have privacy issues but I never realize that it can be also use to hack crypto address. Right now, I become so wary of extensions in my browser so I remove all of them and even clear all the data to restart my browser. It's better to be safe than sorry.

I do not use any extensions beside Metamask and some adblockers. I have heard that some people used some extensions and their funds were stolen after that. I think they just steal the private keys or they have some kind of keylogger in it. Do not use extensions that you do not trust guys, Metamask is a safe one that I am using so far.

This is one of the reason why I decided to buy a hardware wallet. I don't trust any wallet of cryptocurrency that is purely relying on the internet like an online wallet and desktop wallet because if you are not careful enough then you might screw yourself like downloading some random extensions that can infect and steal your personal information so when it comes to personal and sensitive things, I chose to put them in a more secured place.

I was utilising the bitcoin forum SEARCH feature then found this thread and I'm curious to ask if you're still using Metamask, if you still regard it as safe since it was mentioned on another thread (below) that it isn't anymore. https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5238499.msg54171875#msg54171875  ???

yes it seems true that browser extensions can steal your personal data or your crypto assets. knowing this needs to be vigilant before accessing or downloading any browser application. my advice if you want to use a browser application, make sure their website is official.

It will be best if you will only use the trusted wallet because not all browser extensions are created just to steal our bitcoin or money. Metamask is one of the browser that I continue to use and I trusted of course because it is secure and easy to use.

With regards to other extensions that are not that popular, you should be very careful because anything that you are going to install in your browser can easily still our money if the hackers are behind the browser extension. It is better to become safe than sorry later so don't easily trust and install browser extensions that are not being use by many if you don't want to loss your hard earned money.

At now, Metalmask is safe, well regard and trusted by the community. But from my viewpoint, everything has a risk of compromise over the internet. In the end, it depends on your take and your willingness to use it or chose another alternative.

I believe this is so true, I've seen fake ledger add-on for chrome and the only thing that stop me from trying it out was I never owned a ledger hardware wallet, later I heard it's a scam add on, guess there are many things I haven't learnt about

Thanks so much for the information. I do make use of many ads on, though I have never had a sorry experience with any of them.  Nevertheless, some ads on are purposely designed in order to get access into someone's privacy for one purpose or the other.  We should just be more careful about the type and source of the ads on we want to you.

Don't know if these things still exist because you mentioned long time ago, but I would still advise people to be cautious. Not only in browser extensions but also to various apps in the Play Store as I believe that Metamask was returned there after it was removed by Google due to the same issue as Youtube removing crypto-related contents due to scams.
Believe me that these malicious attempts won't stop.

There are just some things to do that sometimes we can't avoid using extensions, I've been using some of chrome's wallet which I'm able to access decentralize exchange for it. Its not really that of a big issue if you download it from the real website of the company. I don't hard much of some hacks from extensions though.  But just for precautions, don't store much on these wallets.

Taking the risk needs to have deeper understanding, if you can't avoid using apps installing to your browsers it's best to study and learn everything first, and like what you have said, store amount of investment that you can take to risk out, anticipate that there's always possibilities that hackers can target your device and penetrate to your wallet, do your research well and lessen the risk of becoming a victim.

When hacking is possible on browser extensions is when you download the fake extension or when your computer is infected by malware. So far I've been using some browser extensions I haven't experienc d such. Or better still when the extension gets hacked itself transactions can be hijacked at this point.

Metamask is the only add-on I recognize that's safe and even I use Metamask only with new wallet address that I don't store coins on just Incase anything bad happens, using standalone wallets are lot safer than add on

i always tried to stay far away from anything that can harm my comp. , it is also the reason why i did not install any of the extensions and there are a lot , it always feld wrong to  insert external programs to my webbrowser , good that OP is bringing this under our attention

I did not understand how they could do it, but from the beginning I suspected it would happen. Some time there were projects that held campaigns and required participants to install extensions in their browsers which were active for a month and for me it really violated privacy

I heard about it. You must be very careful when using and downloading extensions.  Even in the Chrome Store, fake crypto wallet extensions have been inserted. Some fraudulent extensions may steal user data and passwords.

Yes I think that can be possible. Many people are afraid of this same thing. But if you use trusted extension then there is no problem. In browser there are lots of fake and scam extension available. If you are using one of those there are a chance that they can do something bad with your asset. I don't take any kind of risk. I only use metamask. That's it.

I think you should check extentions that you are going to instal. And we got fresh news from a Google about some of it's extensions  :)

Google Removes 49 Phishing Extensions That Steal Cryptocurrency Data

https://cointelegraph.com/news/google-removes-49-phishing-extensions-that-steal-cryptocurrency-data

This is quite the fact and it's high time people start taking the right decision about their safety than being dragged about by what they see. Most times I wonder the need of going for more and more browser extensions when you are okay with the one you have. Most of these browser extensions starts as a test and once installed might manipulate the person's browser for private details. Therefore, all I can say is, stick to the trusted ones and if there is a need to install another make sure the recommendation comes from the team of the projects or after a thorough review.

Browser extension doesn't help any scammer to steal your money. This news could be fake news to downtrend of browser. Why Top popular browser do it, when this apps has trusted users.  Especially Google doesn't want to vanish own logo trust which they gained after long fight. I heard that Google and Mozilla already removed some fake extension from their browser.

Browser extensions generally are not bad, but there are so many fakes. For instance, metamask extension has done more good than harm, but obviously when you install the right extension. However, for safety reasons it's good to be extremely sure before installing any browser extension. Added to this, third party keyboards are also a big issue, those developed to steal your crypto will steal your private keys or menomic phrase after copying to clipboard and send to the developer. It's old news to emphasize how essential security is important in crypto space.

Yes, that is why users of browser extensions should know how to identify the legit and fake extensions. As far as I remember, there is a case that was opened in this forum that he was a victim of clipboard malware, he formatted his personal computer and run his anti virus but nothing was found. However, he had so much browser extension and that may be the reason why he wasn't able to find the malware.

Therefore we must always update information so as not to miss the news, because it is very likely we are also exposed to fake extensions on the browser. I myself have never installed any extension that is not from the official or from a trusted website that has provided it for the browser.

   Or we can have an offline wallet! Why do we need to have wallet with Bitcoin that's online all the time?
You minimize risk when you keep your BTC offline, and when you need to use it you can go online in
few seconds.
   If we are not careful and don't watch out, we can make a mistake and we can stay without Bitcoins
we have, security is the most important part, and when exchanges get hacked we are like easy
targets.

We should really must be aware and updated into the latest happening because with the modern technology we do have, anything impossible at the old times can now be made possible these days. Not just that, scammers and hackers are now getting even wiser to make new strategies or ways to be able to get what they need. That is why we should always keep ourselves updated so we can better know what is happening with our surroundings to avoid being a victim of such schemes. Always do check and ensure that you do have a legit or good browser extension just to be sure that the information we input online will remain private because we do not know when we will need to share such information especially at important cases that needed to be attended online. We should just install legible amd reliable browser extension from trusted or official website to be able to keep our datas safe and secured.

Anything you install in your PC could harm your bitcoin. As for  Browser extensions, I don't install it anymore, before when I was still using google chrome, I install adblockers, but now decided to use brave browser and this helps me do away the extension installation.

Also, just recently, my authy extension is not anymore usable, so I remove it, so I guess I'm free from risk now.

I also read that article shows the chrome extensions steals the wallet Private keys of the user. so be aware of that.

49 New Google Chrome Extensions Caught Hijacking Cryptocurrency Wallets

Essentially, the extensions are phishing for secrets — mnemonic phrases, private keys, and keystore files," explained Harry Denley, director of security at MyCrypto. "Once the user has entered them, the extension sends an HTTP POST request to its backend, where the bad actors receive the secrets and empty the accounts."

So we try to use mobile cryptocurrency wallets (https://aladdinmc.com) which is more better than that.

Have been using extention wallet on yandex and everything has been going well til this moment and have never heard any negative news about it

How is this possible? as far as I know, wallets change every certain amount of time, specifically in matter of hours.

This report is true and everyone must be totally careful when it comes to adding browser extensions.

If you want to use an extension urgently, go to the extensions website and initiate the download and addition from there.
Just few days back, google deleted over 15 extensions for fraud related activities

Stay safe

I advise before installing any extension check the ratings, number of users and most importantly feedbacks and reviews. By doing that you can tell which one is the real extension. Chrome webstore is like playstore and google ads, google does not detect fake extensions unless someone reported it. They have very poor verification and security allowing the malicious extension to be uploaded on their platform. If you find some just go to the extension link find additional information and report abuse.

As explicit as you have sounded . The problem is largely on users side due to lack of information. There are reputable browser extensions and third party keyboards like swiftkey yet members of the public will be keen on downloading and installing unverifiable apps. Again, members of the public should be careful on the reviews they read on playstore too since some of them are just paid reviews and doesn't actually express the thoughts of first hand users

browser extensions are indeed very dangerous for its users. I always advise anyone to be careful before using or downloading browser extensions. especially metamask and browser. many fake companies that sell applications on playstore, webchrome and it's dangerous.

It's indeed not safe to use most times. Even though they have their purposes but they are too vulnerable for hackers to get your details and move your coins. Better to stay away from it.

Most of those extensions have been evil right from time. Day before yesterday, I saw news that Google removed a lot of extensions from their Chrome browser that were suspected to be stealing cryptocurrency addresses. That's a really good move from them and I love that.

But, they are not going to continue doing this, there are still some of those bad browser extensions out there, and not just few, but a lot of them which means that we all still have to be very careful about what we do. These days, if you're not careful about what you're doing, you're going to end up losing something. So, we all gotta be careful, it's part of our duty to secure our assets.

Yup! you're right. although some of the extensions have been deleted. but we cannot continue to feel safe, we must remain vigilant and always guard our assets carefully because as you said there are still many bad extensions out there that can infiltrate and steal the assets we have.

our job is to remain cautious and do not give them the opportunity to take advantage of us.

There is a contradiction since you said fake extension are removed by Mozilla and google, that means the scammers were able to add fake extension and the browser needed to remove them after identifying them to be fake, if you are storing your coins make sure you keep that in a external device which is not connected to the internet.

Right, because the extension is quite helpful and makes it more simple and safe.
Unfortunately, this is used by fraudsters to find prey by making fake extensions and stealing our important data. Then we really should install any program or application from official sources.

After reading this article, I just became a little worried because the ratings and reviews can be manipulated, really worrying.

it's very vulnerable if the wallet is kept online, it's better to store digital assets can use nano ledger, or trezor to store digital assets because in my opinion it's safer than saving it in a browser extension, I also use nano ledger as a storage for my assets

I think when something or better still when a warning is made more than once then there is highly a truth in it. For a long time now I have known about this issue and since then have taken caution. I have no business with any browser extension whatsoever and good a thing, most wallets now can be accessed or created via mobile apps.

some cases of losing assets in the form of bitcoin I think have happened when installing addons and some applications on the device, so it must be able to be careful when wanting to install an application or addons, no need to use better addons and if you want to install applications then you have to at check from virustotal.com which can help a little security before doing the installation.

I personally don't suggest having a wallet on a browser adds on. Most of us know that it is very dangerous especially if you are downloading everything on the internet. Virus on a computer isn't new, But the way of penetrating into your own computer is changing and some way of the hackers do is penetrating through your browser. Imagine if you have your wallet into your browser, I can't really be sure if you can protect it right there. Using hardware wallets is the safest bet to protect your assets.