A Browser extension is a program that can make your Internet browser do something that it normally couldn’t do. Whether it gives the browser extra functionality or perhaps alters the design or layout of a webpage, think of an extension as a little browser “add-on”.
Some of the most popular browser extensions today are ones that allow you to see a websites reputation (such as Web of Trust) or extensions that alter the way you see social networking sites like Facebook (such as the various ad-blockers available).
However extensions can be malicious and you should only install extensions that you trust. Malicious or rogue extensions can spy on you, force you to see advertisements on websites you visit, forward you to unwanted websites, help other more serious malware onto your computer, or even take over a Facebook account to spam your online friends.
To install a web extension a user first has to allow the web browser to install it by confirming a confirmation message provided by the browser, but of course many users are tricked into accepting the installation thinking that it is safe.
Therefore it is important to know how to uninstall a browser extension, so here we explain how to do it in the most common browsers. Once you remove a browser it no longer has access to your computer.
If you suspect that you have also installed some type of malware onto your computer then you will need to do an antivirus scan to get rid of it. For our recommendations on Internet security software, click here.
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