AdGuard says the finished minefield is the Chrome Web Store!
It doesn't matter which ad blocker we install!
There have been many examples of malicious apps entering the Chrome Store already. Unfortunately, we have now found a complete list of this. Ad blockers are very popular, so they often attract the attention of attackers as well. In addition, such extensions run with higher levels of permissions (access to all websites), which can further increase the trouble.
AdGuard (which is itself an ad filter) found a surprising amount of malware in the store. These extensions e.g. they can access their browsing history and then send the collected data to external servers. Here is a list of those that will no longer cause harm:
- AdRemover for Google Chrome (10 million users)
- uBlock Plus (8 million users)
- Adblock Pro (2 million users)
- HD for YouTube (400 users)
- Webutation (30 users)
In its announcement, AdGuard warns us to think twice about which extension we choose. For those who are happy with the basic features, Chrome's built-in ad blocker may be a good choice. It's not as efficient as an extension, but it's guaranteed to be reliable.
Together, the above malicious applications have reached more than 20 million users.
Source: wccftech.com, AdGuard
