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Chrome Extension Caught Hijacking Users' Browsers (softpedia.com)

Posted by msmash on from the shady-owners,-rogue-extensions dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Google has intervened and banned the Better History Chrome extension from the Chrome Web Store after users reported that it started taking over their browsing experience and redirecting them to pages showing ads. As it turns out, the extension was sold off to an unnamed buyer who started adding malicious code that would redirect the user's traffic through a proxy, showing ads and collecting analytics on the user's traffic habits. This same malicious code has also been found in other Google Chrome extensions such as Chrome Currency Converter, Web Timer, User-Agent Switcher, Better History, 4chan Plus, and Hide My Adblocker. At the moment, only Better History and User-Agent Switcher have been removed from the Web Store.

4 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. Firefox by pablo_max · · Score: 5, Funny

    That is why I use firefox in combination with flash and java.
    It uses so much system resources it would be impossible for any malware to do anything.

    1. Re:Firefox by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 3, Funny

      You should mine Dogecoins with your CPU while at the same time mining Bitcoins with your GPU, that's the only way to be sure.

  2. The obvious question is... by SeaFox · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is Rightscorp the developer?

  3. Re:No extensions.... by phishybongwaters · · Score: 2, Funny

    if you are honestly suggesting people go on the internet, with any browser, without blocking scripts and ads via an extension, i'm going to assume the developing you do is mostly adware and malware.