Every time I visit home (only twice a year),
I find my younger (teenaged) sister, has managed to give her computer a "virus".
Almost inevitably this isn't true virus, but is a malicious browser extension adware.
They have popups, and change the search provider and homepage.
Most recently is was ShopperPro,
I believe these are largely being installed by her installing
freeware that bundles them "Free" extras.
and installed them as part of its installer.
Similar to the Free Tool bar plague that was (still is?) common back with IE6.
Is there a method I can use to block the installation of Browser Extensions?
My sister is not a technically adept person, she's never used a browser extension intentionally, and probably never will.
I would rather not give her a restricted account, on her own computer.
I have no desire to be her full time system administrator,
just to reduce my work when I visit.
Possibly a extension exists which makes all other extentions installed, be initially set to disabled?
My current idea is to rename the Chrome (Safe-Mode), to Chrome so that she can only start it in safe mode, but not being a chrome user myself I don't know if that will have other side effects.
Best Answer
I would use Windows Access Control and Permission to prevent installation of Chrome extensions to Chrome's folder by removing the Write and Modify permissions of user accounts to this folder:
In Windows Vista/7/8, the folder is at this path:
%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions