Whether we want to admit it or not, having a safe and secure internet connection is one of the greatest concerns that we as Americans should have. The number of bad actors on the Internet seems almost uncountable, and every day another new technological wrinkle seems to enable them to a greater degree.
Web browsers and AI agents.
Artificial intelligence companies have rolled out a wide selection of web browsers that use “AI agents”. These AI agents in web browsers would allow a user to for instance, plan a vacation or a shopping trip for them. Making suggestions on where to travel, how to get there, make reservations for their travel plans, and lodging. How well do these AI agents work? Their performance varies from product to product.
But there’s more to be concerned about.
According to washington.edu/news,
‘New research from the University of Washington found that the most powerful of these browsers also open users up to significant cybersecurity risks. A UW team studied seven popular agentic browsers and found that four create ways for malicious actors to bypass a fundamental cybersecurity protocol called the “same-origin policy,” which makes websites that are open in a browser unable to interact with each other’s information.’
So, what does this mean for the user?
UW researchers created a test in their lab of a cyber-attack against ChatGPT Atlas. In that test they had a website steal information from another website embedded in it. Much the same way that an ad on an email site might steal information from a user’s emails.
The researchers also ran the same test under similar conditions against Claude for Chrome, Perplexity Comet. and Chrome with Gemini. They found that those browsers were “generally safer”, but still not perfect.
David Kohlbrenner, a UW assistant professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering and co-senior author of the study wrote,
“Even if you’re a relatively savvy user, if these agents have access to a browser that contains your credentials — your email, your bank account, whatever it is — you should not trust that these systems are ready to truly protect your information. They may get there in time, but they’re not there yet.”
Ultimately, the only way to protect yourself right now is to be skeptical and avoid using AI agents in web browsers.
That may be easier said than done.
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Gallery Credit: Rik Mikals