Google Chrome’s dominance in the web browser market, with a staggering 65% share globally, has made it a prime target for cybercriminals. As users install new extensions to enhance their browsing experience, they might unknowingly be inviting malicious software into their systems. Despite Google’s stringent security measures, some harmful extensions manage to slip through, posing significant threats to user data and security.
In much the same way you exercise caution when installing new apps on your smartphone, it’s essential to be vigilant when adding extensions to your browser, particularly with Google Chrome. Given Chrome’s widespread popularity, it has become an attractive target for hackers and cybercriminals. While cyberattacks often exploit zero-day flaws in Chrome, there’s a more straightforward method for targeting users: malicious extensions.
Similar to malicious apps, these harmful extensions can contain malware and other threats designed to steal your data and money. Of the 250,000 extensions on the Chrome Web Store, less than 1% were found to include malware according to a recent blog post from Google. However, a new research paper presents a grimmer picture. Published by researchers from Stanford University and the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, the paper claims that 280 million people installed malware-infected Chrome extensions between July 2020 and February 2023.
Lasting Threats
As reported by TechSpot, the researchers discovered that over three years, 346 million users installed Security-Noteworthy Extensions (SNE). Of these, 63 million were policy violations, 3 million were vulnerable, and a staggering 280 million contained malware. Alarmingly, many of these malicious extensions were available on the Chrome Web Store for extensive periods—averaging 380 days for malware-filled extensions and 1,248 days for those with vulnerable code.
One notorious extension, TeleApp, was available for 8.5 years before its removal in 2022 after it was discovered to contain malware. Typically, checking user ratings and reviews on the Google Play Store can help identify malicious apps. However, the researchers found this approach ineffective for browser extensions, as many lacked reviews entirely. This lack of feedback suggests users either didn’t realize the extensions were dangerous or didn’t bother to rate them.
How to Stay Safe from Malicious Extensions
Given that user ratings and reviews are not reliable indicators, consider looking for external reviews to determine the safety of a browser extension. Unfortunately, comprehensive reviews for browser extensions are rare. Therefore, heed the following tips to protect yourself:
- Permission Requests: Be wary of extensions that request excessive permissions. This is a major red flag and could indicate malicious intent.
- Antivirus Protection: Use robust antivirus software on your PC or Mac to detect and neutralize malware. This precaution can help safeguard your system against threats from malicious extensions.
- Necessity Check: Before installing any new software or browser extensions, ask yourself if you genuinely need it. Often, built-in software or browser capabilities can achieve the same results.
- Trusted Sources: Ensure that any extension you install comes from a trusted source or a well-known software provider.
Despite Google’s efforts to vet extensions, malicious ones still occasionally slip through. Thus, minimizing the number of installed extensions can enhance your security. Remember, the fewer extensions you have, the better your chances of avoiding malicious ones.
