Google Chrome Remove Extensions Believed to Be Loaded With Spyware

Google Chrome is undoubtedly the most popular browser used by not millions but billions of individuals around the world. It is a very fast browser packed with interesting features. One can judge its popularity by the fact that users download and install it in their devices where Chrome is not provided as a default browser. Users freely added browser extensions to their Chrome having blind faith on its security features. These millions of individuals have received a rude jolt by a recent news report about a spyware ring associated with Google Chrome. Google Chrome support has reacted to the development and taken down many such extensions.

‘Awake Security’ researchers have busted a ring of hackers that created extensions for Google Chrome loaded with spyware. This organized crime was going on for a very long time with the ringmasters easily distributing spyware through distribution of seemingly innocuous browser extensions. No one knows for sure how much damage has been caused because of such spyware but the fact remains that the victims downloaded these Chrome extensions for more than 32 million times. After these researchers raise the red flag about these spyware loaded extensions last month, the search engine giant came into action. Google Chrome tech support has responded by taking down nearly 70 extensions from its Chrome web store.

Researchers who found out about the malicious activities of these extensions said that nearly all such extensions were distributed free of cost by the hackers. They were apparently useful extensions for the users that pretended to be very safe by raising alarm whenever the user tried to visit a harmful website. However, once the extensions were downloaded and installed, they indulged in nefarious activities without the knowledge and permission of the users. These programs contained spyware to keep a close watch on the browsing history of the user. They also looked for private and sensitive details of the users stored inside the computer. What is surprising is the fact that these extensions were connected to a network of nearly 15000 websites and they could transmit sensitive details about the user. These malicious domains were purchased from Galcomm, a communication company backed by Israel. The company has denied any role in this spyware campaign.

It is going to be an uphill task for Google Chrome to track down the identities of developers who made these extensions. This is because these extensions were submitted to Chrome Web store with fake identities. In any case, Google Chrome is no interested in unearthing the kingpin behind this spyware racket as its own reputation as a highly secure browser comes under fire. It is really embarrassing for Google Chrome because the company had claimed to have ramped up security way back in 2018.

Comments

Roku Launches Soundbar That Also Streams Videos

Roku is a major player in the streaming industry across the country. On September 4, the company launched a new soundbar priced at $180. This smart soundbar not only improves the audio experience of the user but also doubles up as a Roku player. This is truly wonderful for all those people who do not have a Roku player yet in their homes. These customers can directly stream programs on their smart TV without the need of a set top box. If you haven’t heard of this amazing tool, you can contact Roku support number to learn more about it. Many people buy and install soundbars next to their TV sets as their TVs do not produce good quality sound. If you are one of those who need to go very close to the TV set to enjoy the audio output coming out of it, this new soundbar form Roku is like a boon for you. It helps in improving the sound quality drastically through 4 drivers that are packed inside them. These drivers carry out automatic leveling of sound to make sure you are n...

Malwarebytes Slams Apple for the Poor Quality Patching Process

Malwarebytes has emerged as one of the most popular antivirus systems around the world in recent times. This is when Malwarebytes does not fulfill the requirements to be labeled as fully-fledged antivirus. Recently, the company surprised everyone by complaining against Apple, one of the biggest tech companies in the world. In a blog post written by Malwarebytes support , the company criticized the patching process of Apple saying it can have serious repercussions for the safety and security of the systems being used by the customers. Thomas Reid, Mac and mobile director in Malwarebytes, wrote a blog post that centers on a campaign called Watering Hole being run in Hong Kong. Watering Hole is actually a security threat that was aimed at the users of Mac OS who were directing people to a pro-democracy event supported by a political organization. TAG from Google first reported about Watering Hole some time ago. Hackers made use of two vulnerabilities in the Mac OS to launch th...

Visa and Quickbooks Enable Fast Access to Money for Business Owners

A vast majority of small and medium scale business owners are seen lamenting about the slow speed of money processing. They say that the time it takes for the money to be processed and show in their bank accounts is too long after a customer has made the payment. Slow money processing has an adverse impact on the cash flow of the business. Quickbooks support has now made a difference to this situation by giving a faster, almost real time access to cash to the business owner after receiving payment from a customer. The new feature introduced by Quickbooks is called Instant Deposit and it makes available cash instantly to the business owner almost at the same time when a payment has been made by a customer. These business owners can access this money using their Visa debit cards to improve their cash flow situation. To be able to use this facility, all that Quickbooks users have to do is to integrate Visa Direct capabilities into the new feature announced by the company...

Coryx :Kenshin

Search This Blog