Think Twice Before Installing Plugins: These Browser Extensions Pose Major Privacy Risks!

For people doing cross-border e-commerce or managing social media matrices, browser translation extensions are used every day. Whether reading foreign materials, doing research, or browsing social platforms, these tools are almost indispensable.

Installation only takes a few seconds, but few people seriously consider one question — are translation extensions really safe? Could they secretly collect your private data?

Today, based on real extension testing results, we’re sharing a practical reference to help you look at the security risks of translation plugins more rationally.

1. Why Translation Extensions Often Involve Privacy Risks

Translation extensions are different from ordinary functional plugins. They usually need to read page content to work properly, such as full-page translation, selected-text translation, or automatic language detection in input fields.

• Common permissions include:

• Reading webpage text for translation

• Detecting input field content automatically

• Translating entire pages

• Syncing history or account data

These permissions may look reasonable, but once an extension has excessive access, it can theoretically read everything on the pages you visit.

This may include login information, email content, private documents, and form input data. In daily use, users can hardly notice whether such data is being read or uploaded.

2. Real Browser Extension Detection Process: What Should Be Tested

First, select several translation extensions.

• The selection criteria are mainly high download numbers, many reviews, and a relatively official appearance. This helps avoid distorted results caused by testing only niche plugins.

Check browser extension permissions.

• Two of the tested extensions showed the permission: “Read and change all your data on the websites you visit.”

• This means the extension can access most of the pages you browse. While this permission does not automatically indicate malicious behavior, it does represent a higher potential risk.

Use the ToDetect fingerprint checking tool for comparison tests.

Before and after installing the extensions, browser fingerprint tests were conducted to observe:

• Whether the browser fingerprint changed

• Whether new identifiable features were added

• Whether the extension exposed extra information

3. Test Results: Some Extensions Do Increase Fingerprint Features

Type 1: Lightweight extensions with simple functions

After installation, these extensions caused very little change to the browser fingerprint, did not add obvious tracking features, and generated fewer data requests. Typically, these extensions:

• Have single or simple functions

• Use stricter permission control

• Are updated regularly

The overall risk is relatively manageable.

Type 2: More complex translation extensions

One extension showed obvious changes during testing:

• Increased browser fingerprint features

• Multiple external requests initiated by the extension

• Continuous background communication with servers

Comparison using the ToDetect fingerprint checking tool showed:

• The browser fingerprint was relatively clean before installation

• New extension-related identifiers appeared after installation

This means websites can recognize your browser environment more easily. If multiple sites share such data, it may lead to cross-site tracking, which is a commonly overlooked privacy risk.

4. Three Common Privacy Risks of Translation Extensions

Risk 1: Page data being uploaded

Some translation extensions upload full page text to servers for processing. If the page contains account information, chat logs, or work documents, users cannot easily confirm whether the data is recorded or stored.

Risk 2: Built-in tracking scripts

Some extensions include analytics code, ad tracking, or user behavior analysis modules. These may record:

• Websites you visit

• Click behavior

• Time spent on pages

Thus building a user profile.

Risk 3: Increased browser fingerprint uniqueness

The more extensions you install, the more unique your browser fingerprint becomes. Common impacts include:

• Detectable extension lists

• Increased rendering differences

• More stable fingerprint identification

This is why more users are starting to perform regular browser fingerprint and extension checks.

5. How to Tell Whether a Translation Extension Is Safe

If you frequently use translation extensions, you can perform a simple self-check process. First, review the permissions and pay attention to:

• Whether it requires “read all website data”

• Whether it needs access to browsing history

• Whether it requires constant background activity

Generally, the more permissions an extension requests, the higher the potential risk. Next, check developer information. It is recommended to prioritize:

• Official translation tools

• Extensions developed by well-known companies

• Products with official websites and privacy policies

Try to avoid extensions with no developer information, abnormal reviews, or long periods without updates.

Regularly use the ToDetect fingerprint checking tool to compare fingerprint changes before and after installing extensions. This step is crucial but often overlooked by many users.

6. Browser Extension Security Alternatives

If you are not confident about the security of translation extensions, you can consider safer alternatives.

Option 1: Use the browser’s built-in translation feature

For example, the built-in translation in Chrome or Edge. These features are maintained by the browser developers:

• Higher security

• More transparent permissions

• More timely updates

Option 2: Manually copy content to translation websites

• Although slightly less convenient, it avoids installing extra extensions, reducing fingerprint exposure and giving you more control.

• Especially when dealing with sensitive content, work documents, or private information, this method is often safer.

Summary

Most mainstream translation extensions can be used normally, but some do carry privacy and fingerprint risks. Generally, the more complex the features, the higher the risk.

If you frequently handle sensitive information, it is recommended to regularly remove unused extensions, keep the number of plugins under control, and use the ToDetect fingerprint checking tool for simple checks. This can greatly reduce the risk of tracking or data leakage.

Translation extensions are just tools. What truly determines security is your usage habits and choices. As long as you avoid blindly installing too many plugins, most privacy risks can be prevented in advance.