No. Store approval is a point in time. Chrome's documentation says published items are reviewed periodically and when triggered by user reports, and Mozilla says any add-on can be manually reviewed at any time after submission. An item approved last year can still be warned, blocked or removed, so keep your own monitoring running.
What the stores say about later action
- Chrome Web Store: published items are reviewed periodically and outside the standard submission review, triggered by a new submission violation or user reports. Warnings give typically 7 to 30 days to fix before takedown.
- Mozilla: all add-ons, listed or unlisted, can be manually code reviewed at any time after submission. Outcomes can include rejecting current or previous versions, or blocking the add-on.
- VS Code Marketplace: a reported and verified malicious extension is removed, added to a block list, and automatically uninstalled by VS Code where installed. The Marketplace also monitors download and usage patterns for unusual behaviour.
So the process continues after approval, but it runs on the store's schedule and signals, not yours.
The gap you own
Between a violation and a store action there is a window. During it, the item remains installed on your machines. You cannot shorten the store's process, but you can shorten your own detection.
| Window | Who controls it | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Update published to detection | Store and researchers | Watch advisories for what you use |
| Detection to store action | Store | Block the ID yourself if you have evidence |
| Store action to uninstall | Store and client | Confirm removal on your machines |
A routine that fits a small team
Monthly, thirty minutes:
- Export the list of approved extensions and plugins with versions.
- Check each against recent advisories and store notices.
- Look for permission changes between versions.
- Check that publishers and repositories are unchanged.
- Remove anything unused. Every installed item is exposure.
- Record the review date next to each approval.
On any alert, move faster: identify installs, block the ID, rotate exposed credentials if the item ran, and record the decision.
What to monitor
- Permissions. An update that adds access should trigger a review, not an automatic approval.
- Ownership. Publisher or maintainer changes are a classic precursor to trouble.
- Dependencies. Extensions and plugins bundle libraries that get their own advisories.
- Behaviour. New network destinations, new files written, new processes started.
Try it yourself
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen. Notice how a component that was clean at approval can raise a finding later without anyone changing your code.
Safeguard's continuous monitoring and SBOM and dependency scanning rescan components when new advisories arrive, and its reachability analysis helps you decide which ones matter. A free scan shows the starting inventory.
Quick check
Can a store remove an extension I already approved?
Yes. Stores review published items again and can warn, block or remove them.
Does removal from the store uninstall it from my machines?
Not always. VS Code documents automatic uninstall for blocklisted extensions. Chrome disables unresolved takedowns after several weeks. Check your own endpoints.
How often should I recheck approved extensions?
Monthly is a practical default for a small team, and immediately after any advisory about an item you use.
Sources
- Chrome Web Store: Review process
- Mozilla Extension Workshop: Signing and distribution overview
- VS Code: Extension runtime security
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
