Perplexity's Comet AI browser could expose your data to attackers - here's how

Get more in-depth ZDNET AI coverage: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers. Agentic AI browsers are a hot new trend in the world of AI. Instead of you having to browse the web yourself to complete specific tasks, you tell the browser to send its agent to carry out your mission. But depending on which browser you use, you may be opening yourself up to security risks. In a blog post published Wednesday, the folks behind the Brave browser (which offers its own AI-powered assistant dubbed Leo) pointed their collective fingers at Perplexity's new Comet browser. Currently available for public download, Comet is built on the premise of agentic AI, promising that your wish is its command. Also: Why Perplexity is going after Google Chrome -- and yes, it's serious Do you need to pick up a new supply of your favorite protein drink at Amazon? Instead of doing it yourself, just tell Comet to do it for you. First, there's certainly an opportunity for mistakes. With AI being so prone to errors, the agent could misinterpret your instructions, take the wrong step along the way, or perform actions you didn't specify. The challenges multiply if you entrust the AI to handle personal details, such as your password or payment information. But the biggest risk lies in how the browser processes the prompt's contents, and this is where Brave finds fault with Comet. In its own demonstration, Brave showed how attackers could inject commands into the prompt through maliciou...