Malicious adblockers in the Chrome Web Store

Discussion in 'malware problems & news' started by summerheat, Jun 6, 2023.

  1. summerheat

    summerheat Registered Member

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    https://palant.info/2023/06/05/introducing-pcvark-and-their-malicious-ad-blockers/

     
  2. Brummelchen

    Brummelchen Registered Member

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    one more to blame google.
    but the majority of native users - if they install adblockers - one of the famous extensions reside with other additional blockers without need. i often see adblock plus or ublock in a combination with some kind of ad-in-videos-blockers, but why?
    i think the majority install one of the famous and they think it's enough, set and forget. but instead working with eg ublock, adding a better list, users add some extensions with the same purpose, one for this, another for that. its similar for any browser.
    and as written some of those extensions are time bombs. if user was hitted the installation is that long ago to combine the two events.

    to mention another kind of extensions - video downloader, or mass downloader (extensions).
     
  3. summerheat

    summerheat Registered Member

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    Yes, and another opportunity to recommend switching to Firefox and its "recommended" add-ons which are manually checked not only when newly added to AMo but also with every update.
     
  4. pegas

    pegas Registered Member

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    I don't understand how anyone can install any adblock extension other than uBlock/Adguard both of which have 10 mil.+ downloads. Do they think that an extension with 0,7 mil. downloads is better or what? Shame to talk.
     
  5. Brummelchen

    Brummelchen Registered Member

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    most users do not look on # of users, only on purpose of extension(s). if it fit your needs then it is installed. do not think about what you have installed, this means work, while installing is only a click. if an adblocker do not work as expected it is exchanged or extended by other adblockers. bad reality facts. why are extensions like ghostery or privacy badger often seen with ublock/adblock when you only need to create a rule or use another list?

    not chrome store, but for firefox
    https://addons.mozilla.org/de/firefox/search/?q=adblocker&type=extension
    tons of blockers for each purpose.
     
  6. Freki123

    Freki123 Registered Member

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    If you search for "adblocker" like on brummelchens link e.g. Ublock Origin would be result number 13 for me. If a user doesn't know it by name I guess lot's would chose some of the first 12 results.
     
  7. pegas

    pegas Registered Member

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    It's not quite right, it varies depending on the language of the store, IP address, etc. So in my case, for instance, it puts Adguard on top. Anyway still the number of downloads which represents a certain level of trust should prevail, IMO.
     
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