this post was submitted on 23 Apr 2026
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This blog is on the malwarebytes website. Mslwarebytes says in thr post thst its not fair to call this spyware. This was brought up kn the windows side as well.
What is really going on: claude desktop is installing the hooks for the claude browser extension. If you install the browser extension, claude desktop can control the browser. This is the intended behavior so you can have an agent do something like "in the morning, access these three sites, pull down the data and create a newsletter for me" or "please check flight costs throughout the day on these sites" or whatever you want to access the browser for.
This is the whole reason you install claude desktop, to automate your computer.
This is a little disengenuous...the browser extension ≠ the desktop app. Some people install the app and only use the chat feature. Some use cowork but would never want to use the browser extension. Assuming that installing a desktop app means you should also want the browser extension is just bad logic.
You cant access the browser unless you insta the extension. The desktop app just places jooks for the extension if it is ever installed. It wont work with out the extension