New “BrowserGate” report claims LinkedIn secretly scans user browsers for installed extensions and collects device data


A new report is alleging LinkedIn uses hidden JavaScript to scan its visitors’ browsers for installed extensions, looks for those that compete with its own sales tools, and then twists its users’ arms until they stop using those and pick LinkedIn’s products, instead.

However the social network says this is a smear campaign run by a disgruntled extensions developer who lost a court battle in Germany. An “association of commercial LinkedIn users” called Fairlinked e.V published a report detailing “BrowserGate” – claiming LinkedIn scans for thousands of browser extensions and ties the results to identifiable user profiles – and by scanning, LinkedIn harvests personal and corporate information.

Read more…
Source: TechRadar News


Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest cyber security news and insights delivered right to your inbox


Related:

  • Tackling Anti-Analysis Techniques of GuLoader and RedLine Stealer

    January 5, 2024

    Malware, like many complex software systems, relies on the concept of software configuration. Configurations establish guidelines for malware behavior and they are a common feature among the various malware families Unit 42 examine. The configuration data embedded within malware can offer invaluable insights into the intentions of cybercriminals. However, due to its significance, malware authors deliberately ...

  • 23andMe blames “negligent” breach victims, says it’s their own fault

    January 4, 2024

    In a surprising move, in a letter to legal representatives of victims of the recent 23andMe data breach, the company has laid the blame at the feet of victims themselves. 23andMe even goes as far as to claim that this wasn’t a data breach at 23andMe at all. The reasoning: “… unauthorized actors managed to access ...

  • Three New Malicious PyPI Packages Deploy CoinMiner on Linux Devices

    January 3, 2024

    On December 5th, 2023, FortiGuard’s AI-driven OSS malware detection system identified three intriguing PyPI (Python Package Index) packages. These packages, upon initial use, deploy a CoinMiner executable on Linux devices. Leveraging our historical malware database, Fortinet researchers noted that the indicators of compromise (IoCs) for these packages bear a resemblance to the “culturestreak” PyPI package discovered ...

  • Orange suffers cyber attack affecting clients’ internet access in Spain

    January 3, 2024

    The Spanish unit of telecoms provider Orange on Wednesday suffered a cyber attack that affected an undisclosed number of clients who could not access certain websites, a company spokesperson said. The unauthorized access to Orange’s IP network coordination centre has been mostly solved and was neutralized by Orange, the second largest telecoms provider in Spain, the ...

  • ‘Lazy’ broadband engineers blamed for exposing hospitals and banks to cyber attacks

    January 2, 2024

    Hospitals and banks are more exposed to cyber attacks because “lazy” broadband engineers are failing to fill in crucial forms, it has been alleged. Industry sources warned of a “Wild West” among contractors who are not handing over information about when and where they are working on BT’s network. Read more… Source: MSN News  

  • Cyber-hackers target UK nuclear waste company RWM

    December 31, 2023

    Hackers have targeted the company behind a £50bn project to build a vast underground nuclear waste store in Britain, its developer has said. Radioactive Waste Management, the company behind the Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) project, has said that hackers unsuccessfully attempted to breach the business using LinkedIn. RWM is the government-owned entity behind a trio of ...