Google removes 32 extensions that offered legitimate functionality, but could introduce code to alter your Internet searches. The extensions are no longer in the Chrome Web Store, but you should manually remove them if you have them installed.
Google has taken steps to protect Chrome users removing 32 malicious extensions from its online store, the Chrome Web Store. These extensions had the ability to alter search results and deliver spam or unwanted advertisements. Together, these extensions had been downloaded 75 million times.
The worrying thing about these extensions is that initially featured legitimate functionality to avoid arousing suspicion. However, they concealed malicious code that was activated to maliciously alter Chrome searches.
Cybersecurity researcher Wladimir Palant discovered these practices when analyzing the PDF Toolbox extension, which had 2 million downloads. In investigating him, Palant found that the extension code allowed a domain called “serasearchtop[.]com” inject code Arbitrary JavaScript on any website visited by the user.
Although no obvious malicious activity was observed, the code exhibited suspicious behavior. In addition, it discovered variants of it in 18 other Chrome extensions with a total of 55 million downloads. Some examples of these extensions are Autoskip for YouTube, Soundboost, Crystal Ad block, Brisk VPN, Clipboard Helper, and Maxi Refresher.
Google has already removed the extensions after a complaint from Avast
Despite Palant’s attempts to report these suspicious extensions, they were all still available on the Chrome Web Store.
However, the cybersecurity company Avast intervened denouncing these extensions to Google after confirming its malicious nature. Avast expanded the list to 32 entries, which together have 75 million installs.
In response to these complaints, A Google spokesperson has already confirmed that the reported extensions have been removed. from the Chrome Web Store.
Even though you have already been removed, users should note that removing these extensions from the Chrome Web Store does not disable or uninstall them automatically from their browsers, it must be done manually and individually for each user as soon as possible.
