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“Stylish” browser extension steals all your internet history

robertheaton.com

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Re: “Stylish” browser extension steals all your internet history

#3
I discussed this problem (in a bit inflammatory way) last month: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17242003

It's particularly annoying, because I do have this Stylish extension installed (using css ::after rules to tag HN users)

EDIT: You can submit an abuse report when uninstalling a Chrome extension.

Re: “Stylish” browser extension steals all your internet history

#4

tl;dr: Use Stylus [1]. Use Stylus. Use Stylus. I guess there should be an addon that notifies users for any ownership changes to browser addons they use. Or is there? [1] https://github.com/openstyles/stylus

They do have to make you agree to the new TOS, so just make sure to at least skim any plugin popups/pages that come up after an extension update.

Re: “Stylish” browser extension steals all your internet history

#5
post #3

I discussed this problem (in a bit inflammatory way) last month: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17242003 It's particularly annoying, because I do have this Stylish extension installed (using css ::after rules to tag HN users) EDIT: You can submit an abuse report when uninstalling a Chrome extension.

Sort of ironic sending an abuse notification to a company that does precisely the same thing on a much vaster scale. And I would assume that the T&C for the new and improved Stylish that you accept when you install it informs you that you are giving them permission to do this, so there isn't even any abuse to complain about here.

Re: “Stylish” browser extension steals all your internet history

#6
Most browser extensions seem to require access to one's browsing history and keystrokes, even for legitimate functioning. Is there any way to ensure that they do only what they claim to do, and don't abuse the permissions? (Apart from verifying the source code, because clearly, lines of junk code >> interested eyeballs).

For example, would it be reasonable to enforce that an extension only acts locally, and cannot communicate with any external server? (I guess allowing arbitrary local modifications essentially allows the extension to execute arbitrary javascript code, including communicating with arbitrary remote entities?)

Re: “Stylish” browser extension steals all your internet history

#7

tl;dr: Use Stylus [1]. Use Stylus. Use Stylus. I guess there should be an addon that notifies users for any ownership changes to browser addons they use. Or is there? [1] https://github.com/openstyles/stylus

Yep switched a few months back last I heard about Stylish being bad, and never looked back. It works very similarly and you can import/export all your stuff so it's super easy to switch.

Re: “Stylish” browser extension steals all your internet history

#8
post #5
post #3

I discussed this problem (in a bit inflammatory way) last month: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17242003 It's particularly annoying, because I do have this Stylish extension installed (using css ::after rules to tag HN users) EDIT: You can submit an abuse report when uninstalling a Chrome extension.

Sort of ironic sending an abuse notification to a company that does precisely the same thing on a much vaster scale. And I would assume that the T&C for the new and improved Stylish that you accept when you install it informs you that you are giving them permission to do this, so there isn't even any abuse to complain about here.

I had this extension installed for years, from back when it was "still good". I don't recall ever seeing a T&C prompt, and in the last 3-4 years I've become quite vigilant about always reading full T&C texts (much to the amusement of others).

I was put in this tracking program without my consent.

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