ESET Browser Privacy Security extension installed without user permission

[rawalanche 2]

Today, I've waken up to this:

I haven't ever allowed ESET EIS to install any chrome extensions. It did so without my permission. I would certainly not expect practices used by malware to be also used by the very software I use to defend me from malware.

Whenever something like this is introduced, it should always default to off and only proceed after it obtains user's permission.

I am still getting nightmare flashbacks to a terrible security blunder where EIS would open all internet banking webpages in a new browser window with hideous thick green frame, which would disable access to Google's password manager, encouraging users to use low-security passwords they can remember instead of high security generated ones, stored in password manager. That one also happens without any user permission, by default.

I am lucky Chrome actually takes security seriously, not automatically enabling any extension that get's installed by third party software. But it's not Chrome's job to protect me from stuff like this, it should be EIS' job.

Edited November 26, 2023 by rawalanche

[Marcos 5,085]

Extensions are not installed automatically, browsers don't allow it probably mainly for security reasons. In order to install the ESET extension, one must click "Enable extension" in the notification:

and then click the appropriate button in the browser to add it:

[constexpr 46]

Extension was by default installed, because your security solution was updated to the newer version (some changes are expected) and you have enabled browser protection. Extension wasn't automatically enabled, because it wasn't enforced, just offered (we respect your choice) and you still have full control to enable/remove it. If you want to remove it, use Setup > Security tools and disable Browser Privacy & Security.

btw Malware techniques uses better tricks to install browser extension than using official, documented extension installation methods.

[pojeda 0]

Hi I am having problems using Edge and Chrome browsers, because of this new extension that was enabled in my browsers. The problem is that I can't navigate or do anything in the browsers. I already tried to do this: Setup > Security tools and disable Browser Privacy & Security. I restarted my computer and I still have the problem. 

 

[Marcos 5,085]

Please provide logs collected with ESET Log Collector when Chrome is running.

[pojeda 0]

Dear, 

I am sharing with you the requested logs,

I hope you can help me,

thank you very much

essp_logs.zip

[itman 1,665]

4 hours ago, pojeda said:

I already tried to do this: Setup > Security tools and disable Browser Privacy & Security. I restarted my computer and I still have the problem. 

Manually uninstall Eset extension in Chrome and Edge if installed. Keep Browser Privacy & Security disabled.

Is the problem resolved?

[pojeda 0]

I have not been able to solve the problem, I still cannot use both browsers (edge, Chrome). I can't access the extensions of both browsers either. It is unbelievable that an extension that I do not authorize, is blocking me from using my browsers. This has me very frustrated because I use both browsers for work, and I have not been able to develop my activities in a normal way because of this problem.

[Marcos 5,085]

Does disabling Browser script scanner and restarting the browser make a difference?

Also download ProcDump from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procdump, extract it to a disk and run as an administrator: "procdump -ma -i chrome.exe".

When Chrome crashes, a dump will be generated. Please supply it for perusal.

Eventually uninstall ProcDump by running "procdump -u".

Provide also a screenshot of "C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Security\eOppBrowser.dll" ACL permissions, should look like this:

[jfksdt45245 0]

It also automatically installed on Chrome for me today without my permission. To be clear, yesterday a prompt showed up asking me if I wanted to enable it or not. I did not click "enable extension" in eset and I disabled the notifications that showed up. Yet it still installed somehow today. This is unacceptable!

Edited December 9, 2023 by jfksdt45245

[Silver28 0]

Hello.  Since the update this morning I'm getting the following error with One Drive on Windows 11.

ESET Safe Banking and Browsing.Ink

No access permissions to the item.  It appears that you do not have access permissions to the item.  Ensure that you have the right permissions to allow the item to sync.

 

How do I resolve this?  FYI, the update showed up after a forced restart which also scrambled my icons.  This hasn't happened in over a year. 

[itman 1,665]

4 hours ago, jfksdt45245 said:

This is unacceptable!

Disable Browser Privacy & Security in Eset GUI and Eset's extension will not install in any supported browser.

[mike7777 0]

Hi,

Having the same issue with MS Edge where it launches with crashed tabs and I can't access settings etc and disabling the script scanner actually fixed it. It also had installed by default without asking. Been spending a couple of hours today trying to get it working...

Kind Regards,

 

Michael

[Marcos 5,085]

On 12/9/2023 at 4:16 PM, mike7777 said:

Having the same issue with MS Edge where it launches with crashed tabs and I can't access settings etc and disabling the script scanner actually fixed it. It also had installed by default without asking. Been spending a couple of hours today trying to get it working...

If switching to the pre-release update channel doesn't make any difference, please provide logs collected with ESET Log Collector after launching Edge.