Is Custom Search Tool safe?
Custom Search Tool overrides the default search engine and sends all user searches to Yahoo with hardcoded affiliate tracking parameters.
When installed, the extension sets Yahoo as the default search provider via a manifest override. Every search query the user types is appended with partner identifiers (hspart=airfind, hsimp=yhs-searchtool) that attribute the traffic to the extension's operator for affiliate revenue. No other data collection or network communication beyond the search redirect was observed.
AI-generated. Findings may contain errors. Those marked Verified have been manually reviewed.
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What it can do
Permissions this extension asks for, as declared in version 2024.1.3. Asking for a permission is not a finding on its own - it is what the extension can do if it chooses to.
Read and change your data on customsearchtool.com
*://*.customsearchtool.com/*
Store data in your browser
storage
See the address and title of every tab you have open
tabs
Where it sends data
Destinations our analysis observed Custom Search Tool contacting. Sending data somewhere is not a finding on its own - an extension that syncs your settings has to talk to its own server - but it is where your data can go, and who else it goes to.
- search.yahoo.comwidely used
Custom Search Tool sends data to search.yahoo.com. A widely used service: 39 other extensions we have analyzed send data here.
- ff.search.yahoo.com
Custom Search Tool sends data to ff.search.yahoo.com. One other extension we have analyzed sends data here.