Ledger, the famous French manufacturer of hardware wallets has launched Ledger Extension. This application and browser extension should increase security in Web3, showing exactly what will happen when a user signs a transaction on his wallet
Ledger introduces Ledger Extension
While Ledger announced its browser extension almost a year ago now, it is now seeing the light of day after a beta version open to 10,000 people. Initially named Ledger Connect, the application has been renamed soberly Ledger Extension:
Ledger Extension combines effortless connectivity & uncompromised security.
It’s Ledger’s next step towards building ease-of-use on top of security.
Unfurl to learn Ledger Extension’s core features
Read more about Ledger Extension: https://t.co/1LNw779jJF pic.twitter.com/yHpAO5fRId
– Ledger (@Ledger) March 16, 2023
For now, Ledger Extension is only available on iOS and Mac with the Safari browser, and will soon launch on Windows and browsers built on Chromium, without a release date revealed yet.
Furthermore, the application works on Ethereum (ETH) as well as Polygon, and will support all Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible blockchains as well as Solana (SOL) in the future. In addition, Ledger Extension is only functional with Ledger Nano X hardware wallets via Bluetooth connection. The possibility of using it with a Ledger Nano S with a USB-C cable will also come in a second time.
An extension to increase security in Web3 environments
One of the problems with many Web3 wallets is that they don’t fully show what will happen when a transaction is signed. With this assumption, it is easier for a malicious actor to get a target to interact with a fraudulent smart contract, by making it look like a legitimate application in order to steal funds.
Ledger Extension wants to solve this problem by showing the user exactly what to expect when he validates his transaction, both from the browser extension and from the smartphone application.
With the “Web3 Checks” feature, a warning is sent if there is a suspicion of interaction with a malicious smart contract, while “Wallet Preview” should show exactly what assets will be entering or leaving the wallet.
Ian Rogers, Ledger’s chief experience officer, summarized the mission of the new product, and also argues that security may have often been overlooked in the industry:
The Ledger Extension is emblematic of Ledger’s direction in 2023: to evolve, we simply must combine ease of use and peace of mind with uncompromising security. [Ledger Extension solves one of the biggest problems in Web3 today: connectivity. It makes interacting with applications and platforms easier and faster than ever, while remaining secure. “
Let’s also note that Ledger Extension will also be available for use with Stax, the brand’s new hardware wallet due this summer.
