The company McAfee, which works with Internet security, recently discovered some viruses that were present in Chrome extensions and stole users' data. Some of them have millions of downloads, which means that a lot of information may be being collected. Keep reading and understand better.
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Viruses in Chrome Extensions
This type of tool is important for anyone who uses and prefers the Google Chrome browser, as it adds functions that are not available there. An important thing to keep in mind is that these features are not as innocent as they appear, so they can compromise users' privacy.
The five malicious extensions identified were as follows:
- Netflix Party;
- Netflix Party 2;
- Full Page Screenshot Capture – Screenshotting;
- FlipShope – Price Tracker Extension;
- Autobuy Flash Sales.
Other malicious extensions have also been identified on other occasions, but some of them are still used to this day.
What happens to data stolen by infected extensions?
In short, the viruses present in these resources change browser settings (in this case, Chrome) to show results on survey sites that promote unknown software, fake surveys and sweepstakes, as well as suspicious relationship pages and games adults.
Hackers, who are the people behind these malicious tools, manage to profit from accessing addresses. ChromeLoader, for example, is a type of virus that can be found in malicious extensions and that broke a detection record in the month of May. It performs exactly the functions mentioned above with the purpose to generate profits for the hackers.
Internet Download Manager: Threat newfound
Digital security site Bleeping recently exposed a new threat called Internet Download Manager. The site also showed its various attack vectors. The main one is the automatic opening of links to suspicious sites, in addition to the exposure of ads and pop-ups with advertisements and fraudulent pages.
How to avoid viruses in the browser?
Avoid downloading extensions from unknown developers. Prefer links available on official and recognized websites. In addition, it is also worth noting the comments of users who have already used the resources, as they may contain reports of people who have already been infected before.
