Over 37,000 Chrome Users Installed a Fake AdBlock Plus Extension

itman · Oct 10, 2017

Google has removed a malicious extension from its Chrome Web Store that posed as the popular AdBlock Plus ad blocker but forcibly opened new tabs to show ads to users.

Discovered by a security researcher going by the pseudonym of SwiftOnSecurity, the extension [1, 2] had over 37,000 users at the time it was taken down late last night.

Fake Extension Page Had Obvious Issues

As the researcher points out in a Twitter tirade aimed at Google's staff, the problem is that Google allowed another developer to upload an extension using the same name as AdBlock Plus, a very popular ad blocker for Chrome.

Happened before in 2015

This is not the first time that Google allowed a fake, adware-laden AdBlock Plus extension on its Chrome Web Store. Something similar happened two years ago, in 2015. That extension, too, was caught delivering adware.

Situations like this happen because the process of uploading extensions on the Chrome Web Store is automated and Google employees only intervene when the extension is reported.
Click to expand...

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...sers-installed-a-fake-adblock-plus-extension/

illumination · Oct 10, 2017

It is hard to fathom that Google does not have an algorithm in place to cross check same names of products with keywords & Developers.

Brummelchen · Oct 10, 2017

there exist so mane forks and fakes of adblock, ublock and some more.

Dermot7 · Oct 11, 2017

You have probably read about the fake Adblock Plus extension that 37000 Chrome users installed before it was removed by Google after it was reported to the company.

The verification system of the Chrome Web Store is automated which means that any extension that passes automatic validation will be published in the store. Google won't do anything about it unless it is reported by users, developers, or security researchers.
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Chrome has a massive copycat extensions problem - gHacks Tech News

Rasheed187 · Oct 14, 2017

illumination said: ↑

It is hard to fathom that Google does not have an algorithm in place to cross check same names of products with keywords & Developers.
Click to expand...

Dermot7 said: ↑

Chrome has a massive copycat extensions problem - gHacks Tech News
Click to expand...

Yes, they are really doing a crappy job.

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Over 37,000 Chrome Users Installed a Fake AdBlock Plus Extension

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