How to List Safari Extensions Across All Macs

Introduction

Safari provides the ability to extend the core functionality of the browser via the installation of 'extensions'. Extensions may be published by Apple or by 3rd party authors, and can be distributed by being bundled with Apps or downloaded directly from the Apple App Store.

Kolide collects metadata about Safari Extensions such as their name, their publisher, their version, and whether they are enabled. Kolide does not collect any data for legacy Safari Extensions used in Safari 11 or prior.

For more information about Safari extensions please consult the following links:

• App Store Story - Safari Extensions

• Apple Developer - Safari App Extensions

• Apple Developer - Safari Web Extensions

What Mac Safari Extension Data Can Kolide Collect?

Kolide's endpoint agent bundles in osquery to efficiently collect Mac Safari Extensions from Macs in your fleet. Once collected, Kolide will parse, clean up, and centrally store this data in Inventory for your team to view, query, or export via API.

Kolide meticulously documents every piece of data returned so you can understand the results.

Mac Safari Extensions Schema

What Can You Do With This Information?

Kolide enables you to write your own queries against the data the agent collects. This allows you to build your own reports and API endpoints. For example, you can:

WITH 
collated_extensions AS (
  SELECT
    device_id,
    browser_type AS browser,
    uid, 
    name, 
    identifier, 
    version, 
    '' AS profile
  FROM device_chrome_extensions
  UNION ALL
  SELECT
    device_id,
    'firefox' AS browser,
    uid, 
    name, 
    identifier, 
    version, 
    '' AS profile
  FROM device_firefox_addons
  UNION ALL
  SELECT
    device_id,
    'safari' AS browser,
    uid, 
    name, 
    team_identifier AS identifier, 
    version, '' AS profile
  FROM mac_safari_extensions
  )
  SELECT 
    COUNT(*) AS install_count, 
    name, 
    browser, 
    identifier, 
    version 
  FROM collated_extensions 
  WHERE name ILIKE '%1password%'
  GROUP BY identifier, name, browser, version
  ORDER BY install_count DESC
  LIMIT 10

Why Should I Collect Mac Safari Extensions?

Due to the high-value of a user's browser activity, Safari is a frequent target of malicious extension authors who wish to obtain secure details about an end-user (eg. sites they visit, credit cards they use, etc.) and its extension configuration should be regularly audited to ensure that they are not at risk of attack.

Safari extension installations are cataloged and tracked to facilitate a number of potential purposes, for example:

• Reviewing installed extensions to verify the desired configuration of Safari (eg. 1Password extension is installed)
• Discovering potential malicious extensions

End-User Privacy Consideration

Kolide practices Honest Security. We believe that data should be collected from end-user devices transparently and with privacy in mind.

Safari Extensions which you install could reveal suggestive details about your personal browsing habits if they are named after a specific service you utilize. For example:

• eBay Bid Sniper
• Adult Website Video Downloader
• Netflix Region Unblocker
• Safari BitCoin Miner

When you use Kolide to list Mac Safari Extension data from end-user devices, Kolide gives the people using those devices insight into exactly what data is collected, the privacy implications, and who on the IT team can see the data. This all happens in our end-user privacy center which can be accessed directly by employees.