Simon WillisonJul 9, 2024

It turns out Google Chrome ships a default, hidden extension that allows code on `*.google.com` access to private APIs, including your current CPU usage

You can test it out by pasting the following into your Chrome DevTools console on any Google page:

chrome.runtime.sendMessage(
"nkeimhogjdpnpccoofpliimaahmaaome",
{ method: "cpu.getInfo" },
(response) => {
console.log(JSON.stringify(response, null, 2));
},
);

More notes here: https://simonwillison.net/2024/Jul/9/hangout_servicesthunkjs/

hangout_services/thunk.js

It turns out Google Chrome (via Chromium) includes a default extension which makes extra services available to code running on the *.google.com domains - tweeted about today by Luca Casonato, …

Simon Willison’s Weblog
Show threadSpring Jo 🥚  🍀Jul 9, 2024
@simon i can confirm this also works in chromium, where it is enabled in Arc Browser
Show threadAkkana PeckJul 9, 2024
@ShadowJonathan @simon It didn't work for me in a chromium incognito window.
Show threadSpring Jo 🥚  🍀
@akkana @simon you need to do it on a google.com website
Jul 9, 2024 at 6:40pmWeb
Show threadAkkana PeckJul 9, 2024

@ShadowJonathan @simon I was on google.com. Not signed in, though; maybe it only works if you're signed in to a Google account? The error message is: Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'sendMessage') at <anonymous>:1:16

That's from the console I get with from "Inspect" in the context menu, then Console. If I use the hamburger menu More Tools->Developer Tools console, I get: Uncaught TypeError: chrome.runtime.sendMessage is not a function at <anonymous>:1:16