PhishGuard

Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 2026

    Short version: PhishGuard does not collect, store, or share any personal data. All link analysis happens in your browser. The only external request is an optional Google Safe Browsing check, which only happens when you explicitly ask PhishGuard to check a link.

1. Who We Are

PhishGuard is a browser extension and web tool designed to help users identify potentially dangerous links. It is an independent, non-commercial project developed as part of academic research in cybersecurity.

2. Data We Do Not Collect

PhishGuard does not collect, transmit, or store any of the following:

URLs or links you check
Browsing history or visited pages
Personal information of any kind
Device identifiers or IP addresses
Cookies or tracking data
Crash reports or usage analytics

3. How Link Analysis Works

When you check a link using PhishGuard, the analysis is performed entirely inside your browser using JavaScript. The URL is never uploaded to any PhishGuard server. No server exists — there is no backend.

The extension also passively scans links visible on pages you visit. This scanning happens locally in your browser and no data from this process leaves your device.

4. Google Safe Browsing

PhishGuard optionally integrates with the Google Safe Browsing Lookup API. This feature is only activated when you explicitly click the Check button on a URL. When activated, the URL you are checking is sent to Google's Safe Browsing API to determine whether it appears in Google's database of known phishing and malware sites.

This request is governed by Google's own Privacy Policy, available at https://policies.google.com/privacy. PhishGuard does not receive or store any data from this transaction beyond displaying the result to you.

If you do not configure a Safe Browsing API key, no requests are ever sent to Google.

5. Local Storage

PhishGuard stores the following data locally in your browser only:

Your language preference
Your sensitivity setting (Quiet / Balanced / Strict)
A history of links you have checked (web app only)
Aggregated link statistics for the dashboard (extension only)

This data never leaves your device. You can clear it at any time using the Clear History button in the app, or by clearing your browser's local storage.

6. Permissions Used by the Extension

webRequest — monitors network requests to show statistics in the dashboard. No request content is read or stored.
tabs — used to open the warning page when you click a high-risk link, and to communicate between the content script and popup.
contextMenus — adds the "Check this link with PhishGuard" option when you right-click a link.
notifications — shows a result notification after you right-click and check a link.
storage — saves your preferences and dashboard statistics locally in your browser.
host_permissions (<all_urls>) — required to scan links on any page you visit and to monitor network requests for the dashboard.

7. Third-Party Services

PhishGuard does not use any advertising networks, analytics platforms, or third-party tracking services. The only optional third-party service is Google Safe Browsing, described in section 4.

8. Children's Privacy

PhishGuard does not knowingly collect any data from anyone, including children. The extension includes a Child mode designed to provide a simpler, safer experience for younger users.

9. Changes to This Policy

If this privacy policy changes, the updated version will be published at this URL. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will reflect any changes.

10. Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy or how PhishGuard works, you can open an issue on the GitHub repository at https://github.com/sristiM123/PhishGuard-Web.