Chrome Extension ID - lookup/management/maintenance

[Justin_W]

In an effort to audit and maintain our Chrome extensions, I'm trying to go over out currently deployed extensions and identify them and if we still need/use them.

However, I'm finding that many of them don't list any sort of Product/Brand name and instead only exist as a string of text/ID.

Searching for that ID turns up nothing  or choosing "View App Details" comes up with a "this items is not available" message.

So as an admin, how are we supposed to be able to figure out which extension is which here?  Over the course of several years, the list can grow.  Some of them are set to force install, some block..etc.  

Before I just start removing them and seeing what breaks, does anyone have a way I can track these things down?  It amazes me that Google even allows them to exist without a functional name. 

I suspect at least 1 is our web filter (Securly) since that's what we use and I don't see one specifically labeled "Securly".  Sure would be nice if we could rename or add notes to the thing to identify it...

Example: (edited to show examples that don't just come up in a Google search - which is still not ideal)

edcmmelmddeooecbegkbcdfpongjjjhi

mbkbnpaepaelpfkjbhoaeeeeeofocldj

acoonfmhnndodekhecidldfdjgooefpg

kbpgddbgniojgndnhlkjbkpknjhppkbk

ojdpkncjcgchhkckennkjjjklgefihbf

mddnnaelaienpmompfgedlmpbkpbnhpb

[Dean_Mantz]

I will Google an ID without a label when I come across it. For example, iblijlcdoidgdpfknkckljiocdbnlagk is appearing to be Google's URL shortener. Do you have that extension pushed out? 

[Justin_W]

It does seem that Googling some of the IDs returns some likely answers (if not particularly definitive).

Still seems like a very clunky, unfinished way to have such a potentially critical and very common tool implemented. 

And of course, it's only as useful as Google search results for it are..

So "mbkbnpaepaelpfkjbhoaeeeeeofocldj" doesn't seem to return anything but a single result from 2015 potentially talking about infected browsers... 

[Dean_Mantz]

In those cases, I will block them and wait for someone to contact me. Then, I make a note of the extension name and function before enabling it. 

[sundermannc]

I have noticed that if Googling the ID isn't successful, then it's likely it is just a leftover defunct extension or app.  I just remove it from the list.  I've done this a dozen or so times during cleanup sessions, and no one has ever contacted me to say something stopped working.

[Justin_W]

Yeah the  ol' "change it and see what breaks" or "who complains" approach seems to be what is common here.

I'm just a bit surprised that it has to be that way within Google's platform.

Obviously not ideal or how I'd "prefer" to do things...

[Josh]

I have had some success by looking up extensions via Admin Console > Devices > Chrome > Reports > Apps and extensions usage.

Unsure if it shows all extensions, or just items that were deployed to a device when the reporting data was uploaded to the console.

[Justin_W]

I appreciate the suggestion. I was excited to look but it seems that none of the ones I'm unsure of show there either. 😞