A new cybersecurity alert is turning heads across the tech world — and this time, it’s about the browser agent security risk tied to rapidly evolving AI tools.
According to a new report from cybersecurity firm SquareX, these helpful browser assistants might actually be opening dangerous backdoors into your system, and even your company’s entire infrastructure.
The issue? Browser AI agents, now used by 79% of organizations, lack the basic security instincts a human employee has. They can’t detect suspicious URLs, recognize shady website designs, or question oddly worded permissions. In short, SquareX says, “Browser AI Agents expose organizations to a massive security risk.”
Chrome and Edge Most at Risk
Chrome users are likely to be hardest hit, given Google’s massive user base and the integration of AI features across platforms. Google has urged users to turn on “Enhanced Safe Browsing” to help detect both known and unknown threats — but SquareX warns that this may not be enough if agents are clicking and downloading without human oversight.
Edge users are also vulnerable. Microsoft has been heavily promoting AI features through its browser, but without robust agent-specific protections, these tools operate with full user privileges — a hacker’s dream.
“These agents are trained to complete tasks they’re given — but they don’t understand the security implications,” SquareX explains. “That makes them easier to hack than even a poorly trained employee.”
Real-World Exploits Already Happening
SquareX’s research highlights how easy it is to fool a browser agent. In one test, an AI tool was asked to find and register for a file-sharing service. It fell right into an OAuth phishing trap that granted a malicious app full access to the user’s email account — all because the agent didn’t recognize red flags like irrelevant permissions or suspicious URLs.
Other demonstrations showed agents giving away login credentials, accessing sensitive enterprise tools, and even processing credit card information, all without raising any alarms. This happens because agents operate with full user-level authentication, meaning they can act as you — just without your judgment.
Why It Matters for Enterprises
Most companies have security protocols for employees — training sessions, two-factor authentication, and endpoint protection. But AI browser agents are often deployed without these guardrails.
“Right now, there’s no way to create sub-identities for AI agents,” said SquareX founder Vivek Ramachandran. “That means they operate with full access to every enterprise system, app, and dataset their human user has. The risk is enormous.”
These agents can be manipulated through poisoned search results, malvertising links, or trojan downloads — all while operating invisibly in the background.
What You Can Do
- Max out browser protections: Use Google Chrome’s “Enhanced Safe Browsing” or Microsoft Edge’s “Strict” security setting.
- Avoid letting agents run unsupervised: Disable auto-actions on AI tools that browse or interact with third-party sites.
- Audit access regularly: Review what browser extensions, AI assistants, and integrated tools are doing with your data.
- Push for agent-specific identities: Enterprises should demand platform-level changes that assign separate access levels for AI agents.
Privacy Risks Are Growing Too
It’s not just security. A recent report by Incogni warns that privacy threats from browser AI agents are also mounting fast. Because these agents often operate outside traditional oversight systems, they can inadvertently share sensitive data, expose personal identifiers, and bypass privacy preferences — all while chasing productivity.
As AI becomes a core part of workplace tools, experts say we’re moving faster than regulations or privacy frameworks can keep up.
Final Word
The rise of AI browser agents promised a revolution in productivity — but productivity without protection comes at a cost. The browser agent security risk is real, and it’s already being exploited. With tools moving faster than security systems can adapt, both individual users and enterprises need to take urgent action now.
For Chrome and Edge users, the time to change your settings is not tomorrow — it’s today.
