Chrome Extensions With 1.4M Installs Covertly Track Visits and Inject Code (arstechnica.com) 7
Google has removed browser extensions with more than 1.4 million downloads from the Chrome Web Store after third-party researchers reported they were surreptitiously tracking users' browsing history and inserting tracking code into specific ecommerce sites they visited. ArsTechnica: The five extensions flagged by McAfee purport to offer various services, including the ability to stream Netflix videos to groups of people, take screenshots, and automatically find and apply coupon codes. Behind the scenes, company researchers said, the extensions kept a running list of each site a user visited and took additional actions when users landed on specific sites. The extensions sent the name of each site visited to the developer-designated site d.langhort.com, along with a unique identifier and the country, city, and zip code of the visiting device. If the site visited matched a list of ecommerce sites, the developer domain instructed the extensions to insert JavaScript into the visited page. The code modified the cookies for the site so that the extension authors receive affiliate payment for any items purchased. To help keep the activity covert, some of the extensions were programmed to wait 15 days after installation before beginning the data collection and code injection.
Not surprising (Score:2)
Cheating software cheats users... who woulda thunkit?
Google removes Chrome (Score:5, Insightful)
The base software tracks visits and injects code.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
"You seize the whole earth...but because I do it with a petty ship, I am called a robber, while you who does it with a great fleet...are styled emperor."
List of extensions: (Score:5, Informative)
Netflix Party 2 flijfnhifgdcbhglkneplegafminjnhn 300,000
FlipShope – Price Tracker Extension adikhbfjdbjkhelbdnffogkobkekkkej 80,000
Full Page Screenshot Capture – Screenshotting pojgkmkfincpdkdgjepkmdekcahmckjp 200,000
AutoBuy Flash Sales gbnahglfafmhaehbdmjedfhdmimjcbed 20,000
Re: (Score:3)
The rather popular extension "Nerflix Party", which allows people to remotely watch stuff at the same time, has been renamed to "Tele Party". So it seems the bad guys simply took over the abandoned name.
It's 2022... (Score:1)
No flashlight extension? (Score:3)
Turning your Chromebook into a disco inferno?