When security products make systems less secure

February 6, 2016 – 7:13 AM

There has been an increase in reports pf security products recently which make user systems less secure when they are installed, used or even just present on the system.

Many antivirus companies have added tools and products to their security programs in recent years to increase the perceived value of the product, add new features to them that users may find useful, and to add new revenue opportunities in form of custom search deals.

It is quite common for instance that companies deploy browser extensions on systems that change the search provider, new tab page or home page. Others have created custom versions of the Chromium browser to improve user security while the browser is being used, often calling these custom browsers secure or safe to indicate that.

Google started to analyze browser extensions and custom browsers recently and the results are quite disturbing.

The three custom Chromium-based browsers the company analyzed were found to weaken security instead of improving it.

Source:
http://www.ghacks.net/2016/02/06/avast-safezone-browser-vulnerability-disclosed-by-google/