Chrome Web StoreCaution required
Suspicious in code review (v1.1.9)
Our reviewer found behaviour consistent with malware in version 1.1.9, but not enough to confirm it. Treat this extension as untrusted until it has been re-reviewed.
4 indicators in this extension
Every finding is verified by a security analyst. Unlock the code evidence, indicators and version history.
What our analysis found
Minimalist Tab, used by 5,000 people, is rated caution by Extension Auditor. Our code review reported 2 findings (2 high), led by network interception. It comes from a trusted publisher and was last updated in January 2024.
Key findings
- High
Network Interception
The extension forcibly takes over the default search engine and routes every query to a redirector page on the publisher's own site ([domain withheld]), while disguising the entry as Bing via keyword "Bing", name "Search" and a favicon — so the omnibox dropdown misrepresents where searches go. Full search-query text is a browsing-data category, and the CWS listing declares no data collection at all, so this interception is undisclosed regardless of the destination being first-party. Nothing in the extension's advertised purpose (a minimalist clock new tab, or ad blocking) requires intercepting and re-routing search queries.
- High
Other
The shipped package identifies itself as "AdBlock Pro" with an ad-blocking description and declarativeNetRequest, whereas the live CWS listing for this ID is "Minimalist Tab - Browse without distraction" in Functionality & UI with permissions ["storage"] only and no blocking capability. The package also contains no new-tab page (no chrome_url_overrides), so the listed functionality is absent from this build — the ID was repurposed into a different product under the same listing, rating and review history, with the search-provider hijack carried over unchanged. A single store identity swapping between unrelated products while retaining a monetised search override is a deliberate reputation-laundering pattern, not a packaging slip.
Analyst notes
The bundled package for v1.1.9 is not a new-tab extension at all::4-6 names it "AdBlock Pro", there is no chrome_url_overrides, and (read from the full extraction, not present in the review bundle) is a cloned open-source blocklist checker whose block page is branded "RR Adblocker" with a third party's mailto address — bait, not the advertised "Minimalist Tab" clock. The one behaviour that is live and monetised is:26-34, which sets is_default search to [domain withheld]} while labelling itself keyword "Bing" / name "Search" with a favicon, so every omnibox query is routed through the publisher's redirector against a CWS disclosure of "none declared"; v1.1.10 of the same ID keeps that exact override after being renamed "Minimalist Tab", inheriting the adblock-era rating. chrome-stats corroborates via permission-override-search-provider and user reviews independently report the Bing switch and injected ads; contradicting signals are the Google trusted badge and the 1,514-day age, while "publisher flagged malicious" and the internal malext note are the same feed import, not independent, and the 10% permhash cluster is weak. Note for the training label: the ML counters (4.6 MB js, 2,448 js_exclamation, 8 js_appendchild) are almost entirely the 174k-line URLhaus domain array and the block-page DOM construction in, so the model reached a defensible verdict from the wrong features. Not malicious: no exfiltration, no remote code loading — chrome.runtime.sendMessage(urlData) in has no onMessage listener in the 3-line, the content-script declarativeNetRequest calls are dead code, and is orphaned with no HTML providing #blockedDomains.
Minimalist Tab Chrome extension security report
ID: khheojkcinlbbgjedicdehfbcpbfolok
Supported Languages
Extension Info & Metadata
Publisher Contextual Analysis
- Author
- ad-block-pro.co
- Privacy
- Privacy Policy
- Help
- Help Center
- MX records exist
- Yes
- Domain exists
- Yes
- Is disposable
- No
- Is role-based
- No
- Mailbox exists
- Yes
- Website
- Visit
Email Change History
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Screenshots & videos
Install growth
4 indicators in this extension
Every finding is verified by a security analyst. Unlock the code evidence, indicators and version history.
About this extension
Minimalist Tab - Browse without distraction
Read the publisher’s full description
Minimalist Tab is a Chrome extension that simplifies your new tab page. It only shows you the essential two things you need to keep your week on track: the time and date. Nothing special, not overcrowded nor eye distracting. Just a minimalist new tab page for your productivity and peace of mind. By clicking "Add to chrome", I accept and agree to installing AdBlock Pro extension and setting Chrome™ New Tab to that provided by the service and search engine to Bing.
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Extension files
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URLs
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4 indicators in this extension
Every finding is verified by a security analyst. Unlock the code evidence, indicators and version history.
Code Diff
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