Mozilla removes Firefox extensions Avast and AVG from add-on portal after complaints

Mozilla has removed four extensions from Avast and its subsidiary AVG from its web page where Firefox add-ons can be found. The browser maker does this because of suspicions that the extensions are forwarding users’ data and browsing history.

These are the extensions Avast Online Security, AVG Online Security, Avast SafePrice and AVG SafePrice. They can no longer be found on addons.mozilla.org since Tuesday, ZDNet reports. The extensions are still available in Google’s Chrome Web Store.

Last month, Wladimir Palant, the creator of AdBlock Plus, published a blog accusing Avast and AVG of spying on users through the Online Security extensions. On Tuesday, he followed up on that story with a new publication, stating that the SafePrice price comparison extensions do exactly the same. According to Palant, the extensions can be regarded as spyware.

Palant’s research shows that the extensions collect much more data than is necessary for their operation. That data is forwarded to Avast servers. This includes a detailed browser history. Neither Mozilla nor Google allow extensions to do that.

After Palant published his blog in October, the browser makers took no action yet. On Monday, he filed a report against the extensions with Mozilla, after which they were removed from the add-ons portal site within 24 hours. According to Palant, the extensions can only be reported to Google with the ‘report abuse’ function, but that has not yielded anything yet. Google has in the past removed extensions that unauthorized forward users’ browsing history.