Anthropic's Claude Desktop App Installs Undisclosed Native Messaging Bridge
by CGMthrowaway on 4/23/2026, 7:43:08 PM
Comments
by: input_sh
Previous version that was [flagged] away from the homepage, even though I now see that the flag was since removed:<p><a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47829800">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47829800</a> (125 upvotes, 34 comments)
4/23/2026, 8:55:29 PM
by: jmathai
I only learned about Native Messaging this week.<p>I've been hacking away at a browser-based tool that uses anthropic APIs on the backend. But what I really want is for the browser to talk to my local claude becuase I have MCPs, skills, network access for a bunch of things.<p>I started with a little proxy installed on my computer that the browser can call but knew it would never pass any security review. The alternative I didn't originally know about was Native Messaging.<p>It's a fairly benign way to let a browser talk to and execute commands on your computer. But doing it without disclosing is, I agree, very bad.<p>(tool I'm hacking away at needs to talk to local claude and acli: <a href="https://withlattice.com" rel="nofollow">https://withlattice.com</a>)
4/23/2026, 8:37:36 PM
by: midtake
Google Chrome installs a bunch of spyware too, nobody bats an eye
4/23/2026, 9:31:33 PM
by: horsawlarway
Personally, this is a nothing-burger.<p>This is how native messaging works in extensions. Apps declare via manifest that extensions can talk to them.<p>Further - the user still has to install the extension in the browser <i>and</i> the user has to approve the permissions popup that explicitly states the extension will have permission to "Communicate with cooperating native applications." See: <a href="https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/reference/permissions-list" rel="nofollow">https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/reference/permi...</a><p>So it's hardly undisclosed. Every user with the extension has accepted this permissions popup that communicates that this is happening and allowed.<p>(whether permissions prompts like this are actually helpful is a different topic).
4/23/2026, 8:51:46 PM
by: honeycrispy
I am beginning to suspect that Anthropic may not be as ethical as they purport themselves to be.
4/23/2026, 8:29:49 PM