Health data for sale online through browser extensions

Seemingly innocuous web browser extensions are actually a gateway for health and other data to be collected––and even put up for sale, according to Geoffrey Fowler, technology columnist for The Washington Post.

Fowler researched the availability of personal data for sale online and determined as many as four million people have leaked personal and corporate secrets through Chrome and Firefox web browser extensions. Extensions, or add-ons and plug-ins, are programs that are downloadable and can improve the web browsing experience by remembering passwords or automatically searching for coupons, Fowler wrote.

But not all these extensions are safe, and “some extensions have a side hustle in spying,” he said.

The leaked data include medical records, such as patient and doctor names and medications. Corporations also were sharing information online, including what they were working on.

See the full story below:

Amy Baxter

Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."

Around the web

Compensation for heart specialists continues to climb. What does this say about cardiology as a whole? Could private equity's rising influence bring about change? We spoke to MedAxiom CEO Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, a veteran cardiologist himself, to learn more.

The American College of Cardiology has shared its perspective on new CMS payment policies, highlighting revenue concerns while providing key details for cardiologists and other cardiology professionals. 

As debate simmers over how best to regulate AI, experts continue to offer guidance on where to start, how to proceed and what to emphasize. A new resource models its recommendations on what its authors call the “SETO Loop.”