While Chrome does not warn you when an extension changes the New Tab page, each of these speed test apps does clearly mention it. Michael HorowitzĬhrome warning on Windows after installing an extension that changed the New Tab page The default behavior, on Windows at least, is to keep the modified New Tab page. Sadly, you don't have to click on the "Keep changes" button. The warning shown below, "Is this the new tab page you were expecting?" was displayed on Windows 7 and Windows 10, when I installed one of the four speed test extensions, but never displayed on Chrome OS (version 55, stable channel, with a build date of January 7, 2017). When it comes to extensions modifying the New Tab page, Chrome on Windows is more secure than Chrome on Chrome OS. This is inexcusable.Īnd here's a sentence I never expected to write.
Perhaps worse, is that Chrome does not warn, at installation time, about the modification to the New Tab page.
Why does Chrome let an extension from Developer A disable or uninstall one from Developer B? Uninstall and disable other extensions? Are you kidding me? Why does Chrome even allow this? Web browsers do not allow a page on one website to interact with a page on another. On top of this, they can also "Manage your apps, extensions and themes." What exactly does that mean? According to Google, it means the extension "can enable, disable, uninstall or launch themes, extensions, and apps you have installed." Michael HorowitzĬhrome warnings, in Windows 7, when installing the "Your Speed Test Now" extension When installing, Chrome warns that each of the extensions above can "Read and change all your data on the websites you visit." Pretty much the very definition of spyware. Some speed test apps in the Chrome web store As shown below, there are at least four of them. I didn't record the name of the extension at the time, but later looked for speed test extensions in the Chrome web store with a similar icon. Removing it restored everything to normal operation. Knowing this person, I am confident they did not install a speed test extension on purpose.įortunately, like any Chrome extension, it was was easy to find and delete. The Chromebook owner, a total non-techie, does not know what browser extensions are. Hovering the mouse over the extension icon, produced a pop-up about a speed test.
Also, there was a new extension icon, one that I didn't recognize. The new tab page opened to a website that I had never heard of, rather than to a blank page.
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