Extensions can help improve browser functionality, increase productivity, and simplify certain tasks, but you should be aware of which extensions are installed on your browser.
Although there are often add-ons in the official store of the browser, you may find that some unknown add-ons are not available in these stores and you need to download them directly from their website, it is recommended to avoid these add-ons. Because they lead to data security risks and can negatively affect browser performance.
Below we explain why you should not use these unknown extensions on your web browser:
1- Exposure to security risks:
The biggest danger with using unknown plug-ins is that they can be downright dangerous. Many of them can expose you to security risks such as malware spread and data theft. Some of these extensions may also contain ads that redirect you to malicious websites.
2- It causes the browser to slow down:
Plugins can often help you work faster. However, using unknown add-ons can have the opposite effect. This is because these plug-ins are developed by third-party companies and are not designed to be fully compatible with all web browsers. As a result, problems affecting browser performance are common. If you notice that your browser slows down after installing an unknown plugin, here's why.
3- There are privacy issues:
Many of these lesser-known add-ons are free, but most find other ways to monetize their users, often by collecting data and selling it to advertisers. We do this, for example, by tracking your online activities: by monitoring your browsing history, your search queries, and the personal data you add to certain websites. And the companies that develop these add-ons can sell this data to advertisers, which can lead to bigger problems, such as: identity theft.
Another thing you should know is that when you install an extension on your browser, you are giving it arbitrary permissions by mistake. This allows these extensions to access your activity history, files, and even your camera.
4- Lack of support:
Most web browsers regularly release updates containing small fixes and improvements, and in most cases the add-ons installed in the browser must be updated with these changes to avoid performance problems. Many unknown extensions are not automatically updated, which may affect browser performance and speed. For this reason, you should always check the update history of these add-ons to make sure they are up to date.
On the other hand, you will find that most of these plugins do not offer customer support. Since many of them are free, the developers of these plugins do not care about the problems that users may encounter.
5- Browser compatibility issues:
Most people use the Google Chrome browser. Therefore, most of the extensions are developed for Chrome first and then for other browsers. However, compatibility is not an issue for most of the well-known and popular add-ons. You will find that it is cross-browser compatible and will work flawlessly in any browser.
But some unknown extensions may work fine in Chrome but have problems when used in Firefox or Edge.
finally:
It is always important to read the reviews before downloading any add-on to avoid the previously mentioned issues. If you want to download a browser add-on, choose only trusted and proven add-ons rated at least four stars in the store. If you really need to download an addon that only has three stars, you should read the reviews carefully and make sure whether the issues that users reported in the reviews are serious or not.