The Hidden Risks of Plugins and Extensions – Why "Probably Fine" Isn't Enough

The article challenges the common assumption that third-party plugins and extensions are inherently safe, arguing that their widespread use in development environments and productivity tools creates a significant but often overlooked attack surface. While most plugins function as intended, the piece highlights how even benign extensions can become threats due to supply chain compromises, deprecated maintenance, or excessive permissions. It examines real-world cases where trusted tools were weaponized for data exfiltration or code injection, emphasizing that developer complacency ("it's probably fine") is the biggest vulnerability. The article calls for stricter vetting, least-privilege access models, and runtime monitoring to mitigate risks without stifling productivity—because in security, "probably" isn't a guarantee. 

https://dispatch.thorcollective.com/p/your-plugins-and-extensions-are-probably-fine

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