TL;DR
A VPT blog post says new research found the Honey browser extension not only violated affiliate network "stand-down" rules but took steps to avoid detection. The extension reportedly checks cookies to identify users who have logged into affiliate network management consoles and behaves differently for those users.
What happened
A December 30, 2025 blog post on VPT presents research alleging that the Honey coupon extension violated affiliate network stand-down rules and actively concealed those breaches. According to the report, Honey can detect when a visitor is likely to be a tester by examining cookies associated with other domains. Specifically, the extension reportedly looks for evidence that a user has logged into affiliate network management consoles — tools commonly used by network compliance staff, merchants, and affiliates to manage campaigns. If such a login is present, the extension is said to change its behavior and refrain from the rule-violating activity. The research frames this as an intentional effort to maximize rule-breaking while minimizing the risk of discovery by people who would audit or test the extension’s conduct.
Why it matters
- If accurate, the behavior suggests a deliberate attempt to evade compliance checks rather than isolated errors.
- Affiliate networks, merchants and compliance teams rely on accurate behavior for tracking and payouts; evasion could distort reporting and revenue flows.
- This raises broader questions about how browser extensions respect third-party tracking and the transparency of their operations.
- Detection techniques like checking cross-domain cookies highlight limits of current auditing approaches for extensions.
Key facts
- The findings were published on the VPT blog and posted December 30, 2025.
- The research claims Honey violated affiliate network "stand-down" rules.
- Honey allegedly changes behavior when it detects a likely tester.
- Detection reportedly relies on inspecting cookies for evidence of logins to affiliate network management consoles.
- Affiliate network management consoles are used by compliance staff, merchants, and affiliates to manage campaigns, according to the report.
- A user logged into such consoles is treated as likely a tester in the reported detection logic.
- The report characterizes the conduct as aiming to break rules while avoiding detection.
What to watch next
- Whether Honey issues a public response or explanation — not confirmed in the source.
- Whether affiliate networks or merchants launch investigations or take action — not confirmed in the source.
- Regulatory or platform-level scrutiny of extension behavior and auditing practices — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Affiliate network: A platform that connects merchants with affiliates who promote products and track performance through links and tags.
- Stand-down rules: Policies in affiliate programs that require partners to pause or avoid certain activities during specified periods or conditions.
- Cookie: A small piece of data stored by a web browser that can hold session information, preferences, or other identifiers.
- Management console: A web interface used by merchants, affiliates, or compliance teams to configure and monitor campaigns and performance.
- Compliance staff: Personnel responsible for ensuring that partners and campaigns follow program rules and legal requirements.
Reader FAQ
Who published the research?
A post on the VPT blog published December 30, 2025, presented the research.
What did the research claim Honey did?
The report alleges Honey violated affiliate network stand-down rules and disguised those violations by detecting likely testers via cookie checks.
How did Honey allegedly detect testers?
The report says Honey examined cookies for signs a user had logged into affiliate network management consoles, and altered behavior if such logins were present.
Has Honey responded to the allegations?
Not confirmed in the source.
POSTED ON DECEMBER 30, 2025 Honey’s Dieselgate: Detecting and Tricking Testers In a post on VPT’s blog, I present significant new research showing Honey not just violating affiliate network “stand-down”…
Sources
- Honey's Dieselgate: Detecting and Tricking Testers
- CPM Investigating PayPal's Honey Browser Extension for …
- Honey Investigation Deepens: Revealing New Browser …
- Sweet Deal or Sweet Scam? How Honey is Allegedly …
Related posts
- NYC Mayoral Inauguration bans Raspberry Pi and Flipper Zero alongside explosives
- Audit Shows ~50 Vulnerabilities Could Let Root Escape FreeBSD Jails
- Former U.S. cybersecurity experts plead guilty in BlackCat ransomware case