// SECURITY TOOLS · CHROME EXTENSIONS · 2026
Best Chrome Extensions for Security Researchers
Security research and CTF competitions involve constant tool-switching — terminal for nmap, browser tabs for WHOIS, another window for DNS lookups. Every context switch breaks your flow and costs time. The best setup keeps everything in one place. These extensions put the tools you actually use directly in your browser.
Why stay in the browser?
During a CTF or pentest engagement, your browser is already open on the target. Switching to a terminal, running a command, copying output back to your browser notes, and repeating that for 10 different tools adds up fast. Each switch breaks concentration and creates opportunities to lose context or misread output.
A Chrome side panel that runs recon directly alongside the page you're testing eliminates that entirely. You stay in context, your results are one panel away, and nothing gets lost between windows. For time-pressured work like CTF competitions, that difference is material.
// Featured Extension
NetRecon — The All-in-One Security Side Panel
10 security tools. One Chrome side panel.
NetRecon is a free Chrome extension built specifically for this workflow. It runs as a side panel — open alongside any page — and gives you a full recon toolkit without touching the terminal.
// Built for CTF workflows
Running a web challenge? Open NetRecon's side panel alongside the challenge page. Run a port scan, check DNS records, inspect SSL certs, and enumerate subdomains — all without opening a terminal or switching windows. Your scan history is saved automatically so you don't lose results between rounds.
1
Install & extract
Install the extension and extract the companion server package
2
Start the server
Click ▶ Start in the panel — server launches silently in the background
3
Run your scans
Pick a tool, enter a target, run your scan
Note on the companion server: Some tools (Nmap, port scanning) require OS-level access that browsers can't provide. NetRecon runs a lightweight local companion server that handles these. It launches on demand from the extension panel — no terminal needed during actual use.
Other Useful Extensions for Security Work
NetRecon handles recon. These complement it for a complete browser-based security toolkit.
Wappalyzer
Identifies the technology stack of any website — framework, CMS, CDN, analytics, and more. Essential for the recon phase of any engagement. Know what you're targeting before you scan it. Saves time ruling out irrelevant attack surface.
Cookie-Editor
Full cookie inspector and editor. View, modify, delete, and import/export cookies directly from the toolbar. Useful for session manipulation challenges and testing authentication flows in web CTFs without needing to open DevTools for every change.
HackTools
A side panel packed with common pentest payloads: XSS strings, reverse shells, SQLi payloads, encoding/decoding tools, hash generators, and more. No more digging through cheatsheets mid-engagement. Everything is one keyboard shortcut away.
Shodan (official extension)
Shows Shodan data for the current page's IP directly in your toolbar: open ports, known vulnerabilities, hosting info, and geolocation. One click while browsing a target gives you a solid passive recon snapshot without running a single command.
FoxyProxy
Proxy switcher for routing browser traffic through Burp Suite, ZAP, or a SOCKS proxy. Essential for web app testing alongside any intercepting proxy. Switch proxy profiles per-domain or globally — no system-level proxy changes needed.
The in-browser advantage
The goal isn't to replace your full toolkit — it's to handle the 80% of recon tasks that don't need a dedicated tool. Running a quick DNS lookup or SSL check shouldn't require opening a terminal. The less you context-switch, the more you stay focused on the actual problem. These extensions cover that ground without getting in the way.
Open source
NetRecon is fully open source under the MIT license. The extension, companion server, and all tool modules are on GitHub — read the code, audit it, fork it, or contribute.
github.com/trappedinthesim/NetRecon →
Start with NetRecon
Free. Open source. 10 tools. Chrome side panel. No subscription.