Browser extensions are supposed to make life easier, but some can come with serious privacy risks. Microsoft’s security researchers recently discovered a sneaky Chrome extension pretending to be the popular AI search engine Perplexity AI. Instead of helping users, it was secretly monitoring search activity and redirecting it through attacker-controlled servers.
The extension, called “Search for perplexity ai”, looked pretty harmless on the Chrome Web Store. But behind the scenes, it was doing some shady stuff. Microsoft Threat Intelligence broke down the details in a blog post on June 30, and Google quickly pulled it from the store. Still, if you installed it, it’s not gone until you remove it yourself.
The extension asked for broad permissions that went way beyond what a normal search helper needs. It used “chrome_settings_overrides” to take over your default search engine, so every time you typed something in the address bar, it first sent the query to a fake domain, “perplexity-ai.online”, before eventually passing it on to real search results.
It also used “declarativeNetRequest” permissions to monitor and modify network traffic. This gave it the ability to log your searches and even see real-time typing suggestions. There’s no sign it stole passwords or login info, but it could easily build up a detailed picture of your interests and online habits.
For reference, the real Perplexity AI lives at perplexity.ai. Always double-check the domain and the developer before installing anything, especially AI-related tools that are trending right now.
If you have the extension, remove it right away. Here’s the quick way:
- Open Chrome and go to
chrome://extensions/ - Turn on Developer mode (top right corner)
- Find the extension with the ID “flkebkiofojicogddingbdmcmkpbplcd” and click Remove
- While you’re there, check your default search engine settings and reset them if needed
This whole episode is a good reminder that the Chrome Web Store isn’t perfect. Even with review processes, scammers are getting better at impersonating popular services. Microsoft suggests regularly reviewing your extensions, being picky about permissions, and sticking to well-known developers when possible.
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