Behave – A New Browser Extension to Find websites that Perform Browser-Based Port Scans or Attack

A new browser extension published dubbed Behave! that warns the user if the website tries to perform a port scan or launch DNS based attacks.

The web sites port scanning issue came into light after a script found on the eBay website that performs local port scans on a user computer to check for remote access.

The port scanning conducted by LexisNexis’ ThreatMetrix fraud protection script that used to detect fraudulent purchases.

Following to that number of popular websites found using the fraud protection script scans local for remote access programs.

According to report here are some of the popular websites include Citibank, TD Bank, Ameriprise, Chick-fil-A, Lendup, BeachBody, Equifax IQ connect, TIAA-CREF, Sky, GumTree, and WePay port scanning our computers.

Behave! Browser Extension

The extension was created by Stefano Di Paola, co-founder, CTO, and Chief Scientist of MindedSecurity, the extension was created aiming to warn users if the website abuses browser features to scan or to launch any attacks.

The extension monitors and warns the user if they perform any of the following actions:

• Browser-based Port Scan
• Access to Private IPs
• DNS Rebinding attacks to Private IPs

The extension alerts the user if port scanning is performed, the default limit is 20 if the browser session exceeds the limit, then browser extension warns the user.

Also, it alerts users if a web page tries to directly access a local IP and if DNS resolves to a private IP.

“Behave! keeps track if a hostname is resolved with multiple IPs, and will alert if there’s some mixing between public IPs and private ones.”

The extension is available to download for Firefox and Chrome browsers. You can also disable or enable alerts.

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