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Google Chrome ships a default, hidden extension that allows code on *.google.com access to private APIs, including your current CPU usage (fedi.simonwillison.net)

submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

198 comments fedilink hide all child comments

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/23752739

https://simonwillison.net/2024/Jul/9/hangout_servicesthunkjs/

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Thank you for this info. If this is just an extension, can we just uninstall it or turn it off?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 months ago (1 children)

This is not a typical extension and it cannot be removed. It doesn't even show up in the list of installed extensions.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Maybe recompiling? But I suspect that Chrome as it is, is closed source?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

Chromium is open source. Google Chrome is not open source.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

https://github.com/ungoogled-software/ungoogled-chromium

https://ungoogled-software.github.io/ungoogled-chromium-binaries/

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Seems like a great option. Can anyone more familiar with the code confirm this removes the aforementioned CPU-fingerprinting plugin?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

It does. You can even try it out yourself. Install Ungoogled Chromium, go to google.com and paste the following code in the Developer console (which you can bring up by pressing F12 and clicking on 'Console' at the top of the DevTools interface):

    chrome.runtime.sendMessage(
      "nkeimhogjdpnpccoofpliimaahmaaome",
      { method: "cpu.getInfo" },
      (response) => {
        console.log(JSON.stringify(response, null, 2));
      },
    );

If it returns nothing or an error, you're good. If it returns something like this:

{
  "value": {
    "archName": "arm64",
    "features": [],
    "modelName": "Apple M2 Max",
    "numOfProcessors": 12,
    "processors": [
      {
        "usage": {
          "idle": 26890137,
          "kernel": 5271531,
          "total": 42525857,
          "user": 10364189
        }
      }, ...

it means that the hidden extension is present, and *.google.com sites have special access in your browser.