Google blocks over 500 extensions from Chrome because it is malicious
The result of research work of over 2 months, the investigation has led to blocking a large number of extensions developed with the aim of enriching developers in various ways to the detriment and knowledge of users.
Google recently intervened by removing about 500 extensions for the Chrome browser from their web store, which have proved to be of a malicious nature. This result came after a two-month internal investigation work.
These Chrome browser extensions operated maliciously by injecting malicious advertisements during user browsing sessions. This code was activated under specific conditions of use, redirecting users to specific sites.
Not everything seemed unfounded in the eyes of the users. In some cases, the destination sites were perfectly lawful, introducing an affiliate code that enriched the creator of the Chrome extension. In other cases, the landing page led to the download of malware or to a page specially developed to undertake a phishing activity.
It is unclear how many users have downloaded and used, over time, the more than 500 Chrome browser extensions removed by Google as they are infected. Easy to estimate that the order of magnitude is that of millions of users.
By intervening on the extensions, Google has banned them from the store and automatically deactivated them within each browser that had installed them. Not only that: the extension has been marked as a malicious, further indication for users that something was wrong.
