Google Chrome is one of the world’s most popular web browsers, however, the question arises ‘Is Google safe from hackers now?’ Given its popularity, Google Chrome also has one of the most accessible Google Chrome extensions for users to install to obtain features and tools that are not normally available with Google Chrome.
According to a McAfee investigation, five Google Chrome extensions have been discovered to be insecure.
These five Google Chrome extensions are all available on the Chrome Web Store, and the list even includes one extension created by Google themselves. These Chrome extensions have collectively been downloaded over 1.4 million times.
Are all Google Chrome extensions dangerous for your Google?
If you have been trying to figure out if Google is safe from hackers. Then, No! It isn’t.
Netflix Party, Netflix Party 2, FlipShope – Price Tracker, Full Page Screenshot Capture, and AutoBuy Flash Sales are the five extensions that have been discovered to be susceptible. According to the study, all five extensions are affected by the same problem.
How do hackers benefit from the ?
The Chrome extensions contain malware that communicates the URL of the page and injects code into e-commerce sites. The extensions, in essence, contain malware that sends the page URL to a remote server each time a user visits a website.
This then determines if the affiliate income code can be injected to earn revenue from user purchases on e-commerce sites.
McAfee further stated that some extensions use delayed ways to inject the affiliate link to avoid detection.
They normally do this 15 days after the extension is deployed.
If you are one of the unfortunate 1.4 million users of any of these extensions, it is strongly advised that you delete it immediately. While the Netflix Party extension is no longer available in the Chrome store, others are.