LinkedIn is scanning browser extensions

Post by emporas » Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 10:19 PM UTC

kimos wrote: post #40

ro_bit wrote: post #20

Why is my Chrome telling random websites which extensions I have installed?

It isn’t exactly. They created a list of known extensions by their id and a file which is known to exist in that extension. The site iterates over each pair and tries to load that file, if it doesn’t error it knows the extension is installed. It’s a clever and difficult manual process, but it does bypass the security trying to prevent this kind of thing. I read that their reasoning is it exists to block users that us…

Post by bix6 » Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 10:20 PM UTC

jll29 wrote: post #62

reg_dunlop wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's odd, yeah? We have the ability to vibe these things over a weekend, yet getting to the critical mass/tipping point of adoption is something else. Whatever happened to: if you build it, they will come?

If you want it to happen, we should talk requirements - what would you want from a LinkedIn NextGen? - A professional profile page - Contacts - Introductions/referrals - Ask my (sub-)network? Anything else?

Post by Lerc » Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 10:21 PM UTC

GrinningFool wrote: post #67

StilesCrisis wrote: post #31

Is this a hallucination? I can't find this quote anywhere else. > According to browsergate, Milinda Lakkam confirmed this under oath, saying, "LinkedIn took action against users who had specific extensions installed."

Huh, kind of. That's not the actual quote. Note I haven't followed the chain further back than this: https://browsergate.eu/the-evidence-pack/ LinkedIn’s systems “may have taken action against LinkedIn users that happen to have [XXXXXX] installed.” Edit: nice! I just notice indent-formatted text is now wrapping on mobile browsers. (Or at least ffm.) I wonder how long that's been fixed...

Post by zacblanco » Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 10:22 PM UTC

dctoedt wrote: post #60

Seems to do this in Microsoft Edge, too.* * I use Edge bcs of the vertical tabs — Safari's equivalent is a poor substitute. Firefox didn't seem to have vertical tabs last time I checked.

Post by RobRivera » Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 10:23 PM UTC

WJW wrote: post #49

kyleee wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And certainly fingerprint you right?

I guess that's what they're hoping for. With my admittedly biased opinion of the average linkedin user, about 99% will have the default set of extensions installed and so will not be very useful. Those users might have other identifiers of course, so who knows.