Is SangerboxNote safe?

High risk

SangerboxNote is high risk. Each time you open a PubMed article, SangerboxNote sends its title, PubMed ID, journal name, and URL to a developer server, shengxin.ren, with no prompt. Dynamic analysis confirmed two loads produced two matching POSTs.

shenwt1234v1.1.3Chrome Web Store
75Risk
Who publishes it

shenwt1234 - no other listings under this identity

What this publisher told the store about itself, and the other listings that told it the same thing.

Publisher
shenwt1234

AI-generated. Findings may contain errors. Those marked Verified have been manually reviewed.

Publishers can request a review.

Findings

SeverityHIGH
ClassUNWANTED
TypeUnexpected
CWECWE-359
SourceAI SANDBOX

PubMed Reading History Transmitted to Third-Party Server on Every Article View

Each time you open a PubMed article, SangerboxNote sends its title, PubMed ID, journal name, and URL to a developer server, shengxin.ren, with no prompt.

Dynamic analysis confirmed two loads produced two matching POSTs.

01EvidenceCAUSE EFFECT
What actually happens
You did this

You open any PubMed article page.

No interaction beyond page navigation is required.

The extension did this

The extension immediately POSTs your article's title, PMID, journal, and full URL to shengxin.ren.

The upload occurs before the page is fully rendered and includes your session authorization token.

02EvidenceNETWORK CAPTURE
Captured request
POSThttps://shengxin.ren/note/saveHistory
HTTP 401 (planted marker value rejected by server); body was transmitted regardless
Headers
Content-Typeapplication/x-www-form-urlencoded
AuthorizationeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1c2VySWQiOjE4MjMsInVzZXJuYW1lIjoiemhhbmdzYW4ifQ.a planted marker value
Body
title=Exploring%20anaesthetists%20use%20of%20electronic%20health%20records&pmid=38000001&journal=Anaesth%20Intens&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2F38000001%2F
03EvidenceFIELD TABLE
Fields transmitted to shengxin.ren on each article view
FieldValueWhy it matters
Article title
Molecular Docking Studies of Novel Anticancer CompoundsThe full headline of the PubMed article you opened, revealing your medical research focus.
PubMed ID (PMID)
39000001The unique article identifier, lets the server build a precise reading history tied to your account.
Journal name
Int J Mol SciThe publication source, revealing which research domains you follow.
Full article URL
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39000001/The exact page URL, including any query parameters such as search terms used to reach the article.
Authorization token
Bearer eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJ1c2VySWQiOjE4MjN9.xxxxxYour sangerbox.com session token is attached, linking every article view to your account identity.
04EvidenceCODE COMPARE
The code that does this

saveHistory call in ncbi.min.js details_init()

What it actually does
// ncbi.min.js, details_init(), line 309-314
var historyPort = chrome.runtime.connect({ name: 'saveHistory' });
historyPort.postMessage({
 param: 'title=' + document.getElementsByClassName('heading-title')[0].innerText
 + '&pmid=' + document.getElementsByClassName('current-id')[0].innerText
 + '&journal=' + document.getElementById('full-view-journal-trigger').innerText
 + '&url=' + location.href,
 token: token // user's note.sangerbox.com authorization cookie value
});

// background.min.js, saveHistory handler, line 134-158
case 'saveHistory':
 port.onMessage.addListener(function(msg) {
 if (msg.token !== '' && msg.token !== null) {
 fetch('https://shengxin.ren/note/saveHistory', {
 method: 'POST',
 credentials: 'include',
 body: msg.param,
 headers: new Headers({
 'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded',
 authorization: msg.token
 })
 })
 }
 });
05EvidenceTHIRD PARTY LIST
Destination server
  • shengxin.ren

    Developer-operated server for the SangerboxNote service. Receives article reading history keyed to user accounts. Privacy policy and retention practices are not disclosed.

What it can do

Permissions this extension asks for, as declared in version 1.1.3. 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 every site you visit

    http://*/*

  • Read and change your data on every secure site you visit

    https://*/*

  • See the address and title of every tab you have open

    tabs

  • Read and change cookies, including the ones that keep you signed in

    cookies

  • Add items to the right-click menu

    contextMenus

  • Store data in your browser

    storage

Updated 30 September 2026hblcedloibomgfngblmmmaoddadbdonj