proxy

This permission is for extensions that provide VPN (Virtual Private Network) services or other network management tools.

Examples:

• A VPN extension that routes the user's traffic through its own secure servers.
• A developer tool that switches between different proxy configurations for testing.
• An extension for a corporate environment that enforces a specific proxy for accessing internal sites.

This permission triggers a warning on installation.

{
  "name": "My Proxy Manager",
  "version": "1.0",
  "manifest_version": 3,
  "permissions": [
    "proxy"
  ],
  "background": {
    "service_worker": "background.js"
  }
}

Why is it risky?

This is one of the most powerful and dangerous permissions. It allows an extension to reroute all of your internet traffic through its own servers.

A legitimate VPN extension uses this to protect your privacy. However, a malicious extension could use this permission to:

• Monitor every website you visit and everything you do online.
• Steal your passwords, credit card numbers, and other sensitive data as it passes through their server.
• Inject ads, malware, or fake content into the websites you visit.

You should only grant this permission to well-known, highly trusted VPN or security companies.

This example sets a SOCKS5 proxy server when the extension is installed.

// background.js

chrome.runtime.onInstalled.addListener(() => {
  const config = {
    mode: "fixed_servers",
    rules: {
      singleProxy: {
        scheme: "socks5",
        host: "my-proxy.example.com",
        port: 1080
      },
      bypassList: ["<local>"]
    }
  };

  chrome.proxy.settings.set({
    value: config,
    scope: 'regular'
  }, () => {
    if (chrome.runtime.lastError) {
      console.error('Failed to set proxy:', chrome.runtime.lastError.message);
    } else {
      console.log('Proxy settings have been configured.');
    }
  });
});