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

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.

Comments

Re:Firefox will be fucked by malware like this, to

[amicusNYCL]

Right, this has nothing to do with the security of the extension repository and everything to do with yet another example of advertisers getting their hands on something and then shitting all over it. This is what advertisers do, they suck up all of the data they can, sell it, and show ads. What's missing from this story is the naming and shaming of the advertising company in question, and a condemnation from other advertisers that their industry should not engage in this kind of shady crap. I wouldn't hold my breath for those though.

At least the original author is doing his part after he realized what happened:

I'm going to alert as many users as I can that it has been compromised. I still have access to the mailing list (it was not part of the sale). Will be sending them a message with details.