A Survey Paper on Browser Extensions to Detect Web Attacks

Browser extensions that have been specifically designed to detect online attacks are able to add a layer of security for users as they browse the internet. Their popularity can be attributed to the ever-increasing need for personalized browsing experiences and the rising demand for enhanced security measures to combat web-based threats. Recently, web attacks and their mitigation have become a trending topic in modern research. Acquiring knowledge about how attacks are mitigated with the assistance of browser extensions would enable researchers to better understand the results of their scientific investigations and thus enhance reproducibility. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted to assess the current best practices for detecting browser attacks using web extensions. This review provides an overview of the available extensions used for identifying attacks. Our analysis primarily focuses on OWASP attacks that are currently being detected while also highlighting the limitations of existing extensions in the market and their technical approaches, which can be categorized as either traditional or machine learning-based models.