LinkedIn checks for 2953 browser extensions (github.com)

Article summary

LinkedIn's website checks for the presence of 2953 Chrome extensions on every page load, which has been documented in a GitHub repository. The repository provides tools to identify the extensions and a list of the extensions with names and Chrome Web Store links. This behavior has been described as a form of fingerprinting, allowing LinkedIn to gather information about the user's browser configuration. The exact method used by LinkedIn to check for extensions has been debated in the comments.

Main themes

• Browser fingerprinting
• Extension detection
• Chrome extensions
• LinkedIn security
• Browser security
• Extension privacy

What commenters say

• LinkedIn's behavior of checking for Chrome extensions is a security vulnerability that should be patched.
• The method used by LinkedIn to check for extensions is not by making requests to the Chrome Web Store, but rather by attempting to load assets from the extensions themselves.
• Firefox's randomized extension paths prevent this type of fingerprinting, and Chrome's manifest v3 extensions can opt into similar behavior.
• Some commenters argue that the browser should be able to differentiate between legitimate requests from extensions and fingerprinting attempts from websites, while others believe this is not possible.
• The motivation behind LinkedIn's behavior is likely to detect and prevent the use of third-party tools that automate interactions with the site, in favor of their own tools.
• Some commenters suggest that LinkedIn's tools are inferior to third-party alternatives, and that the company should allow users to use these tools instead of trying to block them.
• The issue highlights the tension between a website's desire to gather information about its users and the need to protect user privacy and security.