Security News

Cybersecurity news aggregator

🌐
MEDIUM Attacks Malwarebytes Labs

Malicious Chrome extensions can spy on your ChatGPT chats

  • What: Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions are stealing ChatGPT session tokens.
  • Impact: Attackers gain access to user accounts, including conversation history and metadata.
Read Full Article →

Researchers discovered 16 malicious browser extensions for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge that steal ChatGPT session tokens, giving attackers access to accounts, including conversation history and metadata. The 16 malicious extensions (15 for Chrome and 1 for Edge) claim to improve and optimize ChatGPT, but instead siphon users’ session tokens to attackers. Together, they have been downloaded around 900 times, a relatively small number compared to other malicious extensions . Despite benign descriptions and, in some cases, a “featured” badge, the real goal of these extensions is to hijack ChatGPT identities by stealing session authentication tokens and sending them to attacker-controlled backends. Possession of these tokens gives attackers the same level of access as the user, including conversation history and metadata. In addition to your ChatGPT session token, the extensions also send extra details about themselves (such as their version and language settings), along with information about how they’re used, and special keys they get from their own online service. Taken together, this allows the attackers to build a picture of who you are and how you work online. They can use it to keep recognizing you over time, build a profile of your behavior, and maintain access to your ChatGPT-connected services for much longer. This increases the privacy impact and means a single compromised extension can cause broader harm if its servers are abused or breached. According to the researchers, this campaign coincides with a broader trend: “The rapid growth in adoption of AI-powered browser extensions, aimed at helping users with their everyday productivity needs. While most of them are completely benign, many of these extensions mimic known brands to gain users’ trust, particularly those designed to enhance interaction with large language models.” How to stay safe Although we always advise people to install extensions only from official web stores, this case proves once again that not all extensions available there are safe. That said, installing extensions from outside official web stores carries an even higher risk. Extensions listed in official stores undergo a review process before being approved. This process, which combines automated and manual checks, assesses the extension’s safety, policy compliance, and overall user experience. The goal is to protect users from scams, malware, and other malicious activity. However, this review process is not foolproof. Microsoft and Google have been notified about the abuse. However, extensions that are already installed may remain active in Chrome and Edge until users manually remove them. Malicious extensions These are the browser extensions you should remove. They are listed by Name — Publisher — Extension ID: ChatGPT bulk delete, Chat manager — ChatGPT Mods — gbcgjnbccjojicobfimcnfjddhpphaod ChatGPT export, Markdown, JSON, images — ChatGPT Mods — hljdedgemmmkdalbnmnpoimdedckdkhm ChatGPT folder, voice download, prompt manager, free tools — ChatGPT Mods — lmiigijnefpkjcenfbinhdpafehaddag ChatGPT message navigator, history scroller — ChatGPT Mods — ifjimhnbnbniiiaihphlclkpfikcdkab ChatGPT Mods — Folder Voice Download & More Free Tools — jhohjhmbiakpgedidneeloaoloadlbdj ChatGPT pin chat, bookmark — ChatGPT Mods — kefnabicobeigajdngijnnjmljehknjl ChatGPT Prompt Manager, Folder, Library, Auto Send — ChatGPT Mods — ioaeacncbhpmlkediaagefiegegknglc ChatGPT prompt optimization — ChatGPT Mods — mmjmcfaejolfbenlplfoihnobnggljij ChatGPT search history, locate specific messages — ChatGPT Mods — ipjgfhcjeckaibnohigmbcaonfcjepmb ChatGPT Timestamp Display — ChatGPT Mods — afjenpabhpfodjpncbiiahbknnghabdc ChatGPT Token counter — ChatGPT Mods — hfdpdgblphooommgcjdnnmhpglleaafj ChatGPT model switch, save advanced model uses — ChatGPT Mods — pfgbcfaiglkcoclichlojeaklcfboieh ChatGPT voice download, TTS download — ChatGPT Mods — območbankihdfckkbfnoglefmdgmblcld (original: obdobankihdfckkbfnoglefmdgmblcld) Collapsed message — ChatGPT Mods — lechagcebaneoafonkbfkljmbmaaoaec Multi-Profile Management & Switching — ChatGPT Mods — nhnfaiiobkpbenbbiblmgncgokeknnno Search with ChatGPT — ChatGPT Mods — hpcejjllhbalkcmdikecfngkepppoknd We don’t just report on threats—we remove them Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your devices by downloading Malwarebytes today .

Share this article