Recently several users of gmail Users who use Google Chrome to log into their accounts have been reporting strange emails asking them to install a browser extension.
According to digital security experts, this is a scam applied by cybercriminals to collect data from unsuspecting people.
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By installing the extension on Google Chrome, the person has personal information leaked to these hackers' computers. Therefore, even according to experts, at first it is necessary to ignore suspicious emails.
How the case was discovered
The first reports of the hacker attack attempt took place in South Korea, later migrating to the United States and some countries in Europe.
After receiving the first reports, the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the National Intelligence Service of the Republic of Korea joined together in a joint force to investigate the case.
It was precisely this coalition of forces that discovered that, once the false extension was installed, hackers managed to gain access to various data from the Gmail accounts of the affected people.
Still according to data obtained by the team of investigators, those responsible for the attack are hackers from a group known as Kimsuky, which originates in North Korea.
These criminals have as their main targets journalists and authorities in the political, legal and diplomatic spheres of countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Germany, as well as South Korea, which borders the dictatorship North Korean.
Hackers also target smartphones
In addition to the obvious attack on computers, hackers in the service of the North Korean dictatorship also target smartphones.
This is because, according to information obtained by the intelligence service that tracked the attacks, when clicking on links sent by email on their smartphones, users end up installing a virus called FastViewer.
This powerful malware allows hackers to have almost unrestricted access to connected devices, being able to monitor their users.
Among the “powers” of this virus are the tracking of exchanged messages, phone calls, GPS, remote installation of applications, manipulation of cameras, among other frightening functions.
See how to protect yourself
Despite targeting powerful people, the attack by North Korean hackers also extends to “normal” Gmail and Google Chrome users.
For this reason, according to the experts who are dealing with the threat, it is necessary to ignore messages and download commands received via suspicious emails.
Also, even if the message you received seems friendly, it's always good to check the source of the email before making any decisions.
Furthermore, if they wish to install already famous extensions, users should go to the official Google Chrome extension store, thus avoiding having contact with third-party products.
Graduated in History and Human Resources Technology. Passionate about writing, today he lives the dream of acting professionally as a Content Writer for the Web, writing articles in different niches and different formats.
