If you don’t recognise it, the best advice is to ‘delete it’ when it comes to suspicious computer related activity. With Internet browsing, the biggest threat is from a dangerous Chrome extension.
Cybersecurity experts at VPNOverview have told Digital Journal how to spot a dangerous chrome extension after searches for ‘how to delete a chrome extension’ have skyrocketed by 223 percent in the last week.
Chris Bluvshtein, privacy expert at VPNOverview explains: “Dangerous browser extensions can seriously undermine your security. Left unchecked, dangerous browser extensions could log your keystrokes or even provide a passage for malware to make its way onto your device.”
Other risks include the malicious code redirecting your searches or going as far as capturing your browsing activity and enabling hackers to re-sell it.
Whether a user installs new extensions regularly or not, they should review their browser settings for any dangerous extensions. Furthermore, even if you have not installed any yourself, the extensions could have made their way onto your computer with malware in the past.
But how to spot a malicious extension? According to Bluvshtein:
First, the description of an extension, including ratings and the number of users can be faked if necessary. Does the description have typos and/or is it worded strangely? Is it incomplete? When you copy and paste any links from the description into your search engine, does a legitimate website turn up? If anything is suspicious here, it is probably malicious
Secondly, check if the extension you are looking at is a copy of a legitimate extension on the same App Store by name such as Adblock Plus (Legitimate) vs AdBlocker Super (most likely fake).
Thirdly, download the Chrome extensions source viewer and click on the ‘cry’ icon in the address bar. Download the extension and view its source file right in the browser, scrutinise any extensions that have the suffix .js or .json. This might tell you if an extension is infected with scripts.
Fourth, and finally ,if there is an extension on your device which you do not recognise, simply disable it. Be sure to only use trusted sources to download safe, secure extensions and limit the number of extensions you are using at any one time.
