Google has taken down 32 malicious extensions from the Chrome Web Store, which had collectively amassed 75 million downloads. These extensions initially appeared legitimate but contained obfuscated code that allowed them to alter search results and deliver spam or unwanted ads.
Cybersecurity researcher Wladimir Palant discovered the presence of malicious code in the PDF Toolbox extension and later found the same suspicious code in 18 other extensions, including popular ones like Autoskip for Youtube and Crystal Ad block. Although Palant did not observe any clear malicious activity, user reports and reviews indicated that the extensions were performing redirections and search result hijacking.
Despite Palant’s attempts to report the suspicious extensions to Google, they remained available on the Chrome Web Store. However, cybersecurity company Avast confirmed the extensions’ malicious nature and reported them to Google, expanding the list to 32 entries.
Avast highlighted the impact of these extensions, which targeted tens of thousands of its customers and potentially millions of users worldwide. While the extensions appeared harmless to unsuspecting users, they were adware that hijacked search results to display sponsored links and sometimes even malicious links.
Google has stated that the reported extensions have been removed from the Chrome Web Store, emphasizing their commitment to security and privacy. Avast selectively neutralized only the malicious elements within the extensions for its customers, allowing the legitimate features to continue operating. It’s worth noting that the 75 million download count may have been artificially inflated.
Users are advised to manually uninstall these extensions from their browsers to eliminate the associated risks, as their removal from the store does not automatically deactivate or uninstall them.
