Online Safety

Is That Productivity Extension Safe? How Chrome Extensions Turn Into Backdoors You probably have a handful of Chrome extensions running right now—a grammar checker, a password manager, a coupon finder, maybe a note-taking tool. They feel harmless, just convenient helpers that live in your browser. But over the past year, security researchers have documented a troubling pattern: attackers are taking over legitimate-looking productivity extensions and turning them into data-stealing backdoors. ...

Which to-do list app is safest? We checked the privacy of Wirecutter’s top picks A good to-do list app keeps you organized. But it also collects a surprising amount of personal data: task contents, deadlines, often your location, calendar, and contacts. In 2025, Wirecutter published its updated picks for the three best to-do list apps. The review focused on features, ease of use, and reliability. What it didn’t cover in depth is how well each app protects your privacy and security. ...

How to Spot the New Google Scam That Looks Legit – and Stay Safe A convincing phishing campaign that impersonates Google has been making the rounds. According to a recent report from Reader’s Digest, the scam uses official-looking emails and login pages to trick people into handing over their credentials. If you use Gmail, Google Drive, or any other Google service, this is one you need to know about. ...

Your Biggest Fear About AI Shopping Is Right: How to Protect Your Privacy If you’ve felt uneasy about using AI shopping tools—chatbots that recommend products, voice assistants that place orders, or personalized deal finders—you’re not alone. A recent report from eMarketer confirms that data privacy is shoppers’ number one concern when it comes to AI-powered shopping. And the fear is well-founded. ...

Your Chrome Productivity Extension Might Be a Backdoor: How to Stay Safe If you use Chrome extensions to help with daily tasks—grammar checks, password managers, note-taking apps, or calendar helpers—you probably installed them for convenience. What many users don’t realize is that these same tools can be quietly weaponized, turning your browser into an entry point for attackers. Recent investigations have shown that security of browser extensions is far from guaranteed, and the risks are only growing. ...

Shoppers’ Top AI Fear? Privacy. Here’s What to Know and How to Protect Yourself Introduction If you’ve used an AI-powered shopping assistant—like ChatGPT to compare products, a retailer’s chatbot for recommendations, or Google Shopping’s AI summary—you’ve probably appreciated the convenience. But a new survey from eMarketer confirms what many consumers already suspect: data privacy is shoppers’ biggest AI shopping fear, by far. The survey, published in May 2026, found that concerns about how personal data is collected, used, and shared topped the list of worries, ahead of accuracy of recommendations and even cost. ...

That Productivity Chrome Extension Might Be Spying on You: How to Spot a Backdoor Introduction Chrome extensions make the browser more useful—saving passwords, blocking ads, taking screenshots, or integrating with tools like Trello and Slack. But some of these “productivity helpers” are not what they seem. Over the past few years, security researchers have documented cases where benign-looking extensions were quietly stealing login credentials, harvesting browsing data, or even giving attackers remote access to corporate networks. In March 2026, Security Boulevard reported on how these extensions have become a rising enterprise attack vector, and the risk isn’t limited to large companies. ...

How to Protect Your Privacy While Using AI Shopping Assistants If you’ve tried an AI shopping assistant lately—whether it’s Amazon’s Rufus, Google Shopping’s AI, or a plugin for ChatGPT—you’ve likely enjoyed the convenience of instant product recommendations, price comparisons, or summary reviews. But behind that convenience, there’s a growing worry: what happens to the data you share with these tools? ...

Shopping with AI? Here’s How to Protect Your Privacy (and What to Watch Out For) AI shopping tools have quietly become part of everyday online retail. Chatbots help you find products, recommendation engines suggest what to buy next, and virtual try-ons let you see how a jacket fits without leaving your couch. But as these tools spread, so do concerns about what happens to your personal data. A new survey from eMarketer confirms what many shoppers suspect: data privacy is the number one fear when using AI for shopping. This article explains the findings and offers practical steps you can take to protect yourself. ...

What the Fireflies.AI Lawsuit Means for Your Privacy in AI Meeting Assistants AI meeting assistants have become common fixtures in remote and hybrid work. Tools like Fireflies.AI, Otter.ai, and others promise to record, transcribe, and summarize conversations, saving time and reducing note-taking. But a recent lawsuit against Fireflies.AI has brought to light a privacy risk that many users may not have considered: the collection and storage of biometric data, such as voice prints, without explicit consent. ...