FIX: Browser may not be safe, issue when logging into google; Google accounts getting logged off

Brave Browser Desktop Support
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1

THIS IS A SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM OTHERS MAY HAVE

Description of the issue:

You notice you’ve been logged out on all google .com and gmail .com accounts, but not youtube. And you try to log back in but it doesn’t let you because it says that Brave browser is not secure.

How can this issue be reproduced?

  1. Install extension from site https://downloadermedia.com/ or directly from google extension store, which its called "CRX Launch", i’m expecting that its kinda like a script working inside an actual extension. So basically this issue should apply just having CRX extension active.
  2. Try to log in into google .com with an email account
  3. Notice it says “browser may not be secure” and you cannot log in.

Expected result:

  • Should work even with extension installed

Brave Version( check About Brave)
Brave 1.94.121 (Official Build) (64-bit)

Chromium: 152.0.7977.83

Tutorial how to fix:

TL;DR: Disable or Remove extension installed.

Long explanation:

I have noticed that if you just disable the extension it allows you to connect to google. It may be possible (haven’t tested) that if you change its behavior, it having access to the site information only when you click on it, it will still allow you to connect to google, but I’m not sure. it seems that google notices the extension being bad?

2

According to ChatGPT (all of the following):

There are some significant red flags around the specific “CRX Launch” extension associated with DownloaderMedia/Downr.

Found

The extension appears to be:

  • Name: CRX Launch
  • Chrome extension ID: lmmnbhikidmfldabomkfdhkdnpbabcdm
  • Version reported: 1.2.0
  • Reported installs: ~80,000
  • Status: currently listed by extension-tracking sites as unlisted
  • Publisher: “CRX Launch”

Its advertised purpose is somewhat unusual: it claims to open/run .crx and ZIP Chrome extensions in an isolated environment. However, the review history contains multiple reports of Google searches being redirected to Yahoo, including reports specifically saying the extension was installed because of Downr Media Downloader

More concerningly, [ChatGPT] found independent reports that explicitly connect the two:

Users report that Downr’s higher-quality downloading functionality required installing the “CRX Launch” extension, and subsequently their Google searches were redirected through Yahoo.

There are several such reports, not just one. For example, one reviewer says they traced the Google→Yahoo redirects to CRX Launch, while another alleges that it persisted through system policy/registry modifications. Those latter claims are user reports, not something [ChatGPT] independently verified, so [ChatGPT] wouldn’t treat them as established fact.

There’s an especially interesting contradiction

The extension’s published privacy description says:

  • no tracking,
  • no collection of personal information,
  • no keystroke tracking,
  • no data sent to external servers.

Yet the user reports include allegations of search hijacking.

That doesn’t by itself prove malware - the Yahoo redirection could theoretically have another explanation - but [ChatGPT] would not consider the extension trustworthy merely because it is/was in the Chrome Web Store.

Also, Chrome Web Store presence is not equivalent to a security guarantee. Extensions can subsequently be modified, have problematic behavior that isn’t obvious from their description, or simply abuse legitimate-looking permissions.

3

Would it have been able to get google account information? Like steal stuff?

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@AlexDeFoc

Visit ChatGPT and ask:

Could the extension steal Google account info: https://community.brave.app/t/fix-browser-may-not-be-safe-issue-when-logging-into-google-google-accounts-getting-logged-off/657883