Vocabulary:

Repeat each word, definition, out loud.

Malicious (adj.)	Harmful or intending to cause harm.
Hijacking	Taking control of something without permission.
Exploit	To take advantage of a vulnerability for harmful purposes.
Sandboxing	A security practice that isolates programs to limit their access to the system.
Adversary-in-the-Middle (AitM) (n.)	A type of attack where a hacker intercepts communication between two parties, pretending to be one of them.

Article:

Read the article aloud on your own.

A recently fixed security issue in the Opera web browser could have let harmful browser extensions get full access to private browser functions.

This attack, named CrossBarking, would have allowed hackers to do things like take screenshots, change browser settings, and even steal user accounts, according to Guardio Labs.

To show the problem, Guardio Labs created a simple browser extension that looked harmless. But when installed on Opera, it took advantage of this security weakness, making it a case of a cross-browser attack.

“This example shows how hackers work quietly in the background, using clever tactics that go unnoticed,” said Nati Tal, the head of Guardio Labs, in a report shared with The Hacker News.

Opera fixed the problem on September 24, 2024, after being informed about it responsibly. However, this isn’t the first time Opera has had security issues.

Earlier this year, a vulnerability called MyFlaw was discovered. It misused a legitimate Opera feature named My Flow to run harmful files on the user’s computer.

The new attack happened because some websites that belong to Opera had special access to private browser functions. These websites help run Opera’s features like Opera Wallet and Pinboard.

Guardio Labs found that harmful code hidden in a browser extension could be used to insert malicious scripts into these websites. This would give attackers access to private browser features and allow them to steal data or change settings.

With this access, attackers could take screenshots, steal session cookies (which could be used to hijack accounts), or change browser security settings to direct users to fake websites that look like real ones.

The dangerous browser extension could be shared on popular extension stores like the Chrome Web Store. Once installed, it would secretly carry out the attack, needing permission to run harmful code on specific websites.

This discovery highlights the risk of downloading browser extensions. Some can be dangerous, and even trustworthy ones might collect more data than users realize.

“Browser extensions are powerful tools, and they need to be carefully monitored,” said Tal. “The current review process is not strong enough, and we suggest adding more resources to continuously check their behavior, even after they’re approved. Also, stricter identity checks for developers should be required.”

Questions:

Answer the following questions about the article.

What was the security flaw in Opera’s web browser, and how could it be exploited?

Explain how Guardio Labs demonstrated the security issue using a simple browser extension.

What is CrossBarking, and why is it a significant concern for browser security?

How can attackers use browser extensions to hijack accounts or steal sensitive information?

What are some ways to prevent harmful browser extensions from causing damage?

Discussion:

Use these questions for discussion.

How important is it for users to be cautious when installing browser extensions?What should they look out for?

What do you think could be done to improve the security of browser extensions on platforms like the Chrome Web Store?

How does sandboxing help prevent broader attacks, and are there any limitations to this security measure?

Why is it important to continuously monitor browser extensions, even after they’ve been approved?

Source: This exercise is based off an article from The Hacker News