Skip to main content

Advice on Browser Toolbars

A browser toolbar is a third-party add-on to a web browser that displays an additional row of controls such as buttons, textboxes and menus within a browsing window. They are potentially unwanted applications.
Threat ID:
CC-2143
Category:
Threat Severity:
Low
Threat Vector:
Published:
15 March 2018 12:00 AM
Report a cyber attack: call 0300 303 5222 or email [email protected]

This content has been archived

This article no longer conforms to NHS Digital's standards for cyber alerts, and may contain outdated or inaccurate information. Use of this information contained in this page is at your own risk

Summary

A browser toolbar is a third-party add-on to a web browser that displays an additional row of controls such as buttons, textboxes and menus within a browsing window. They are potentially unwanted applications.

Threat details

These toolbars first became widespread at the height of Internet Explorer’s popularity in the early-mid 2000s. Many of them provided useful functionality to enhance web browsing sessions, such as notifications for new emails and the ability to carry out web searches without first browsing to a search engine’s website.

Convenient mass-market features that debuted in third-party toolbars became integrated with modern web browsers over time. The prevalence and utility of toolbars has therefore declined significantly in recent years, although they can still be useful for niche applications.

Due to the ease with which they can be installed and activated, browser toolbars have been widely misused as a vector for malware. Toolbars are often bundled with other software, and then installed unintentionally when users do not notice and opt out first.

When a toolbar has been installed, it can track activity and steal data from web browsing sessions. Even if a toolbar has no malicious or invasive functions, it will still consume system resources.

Remediation steps

Type Step

Almost all third-party browser toolbars are now unnecessary, and so it is recommended that they are uninstalled in Windows. If uninstall programs have not been provided, then each toolbar can be uninstalled or disabled within the web browser:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 – Click the ⚙ icon and go to ‘Manage add-ons.’
  • Microsoft Edge – Does not support third-party toolbars by default.
  • Google Chrome – Click the ⋮ icon, go to ‘More tools’ then ‘Extensions.’
  • Mozilla Firefox – Click the ☰ icon and go to ‘Add-ons.’

Last edited: 17 February 2020 12:36 pm