A fake Chrome extension named 'Search for perplexity ai' was discovered to be spying on users' search queries by routing their traffic through a fraudulent domain. The extension recorded user data such as IP addresses, browser headers, and user-agent strings. Despite Google removing it from the Chrome Web Store after a security report, users who installed it must manually uninstall it.
The extension's permissions were excessive for its advertised functionality, raising red flags about its intent to surveil rather than just redirect searches. This incident reflects a broader issue with malicious Chrome extensions, which often remain undetected for extended periods.