The Nigerian Communications Commission’s Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT) has identified five malicious Google Chrome Extensions.
According to the commission, the extensions surreptitiously track online browser activities and steal users’ data.
NCC announced this in a press release posted on its website
Names of the Apps
The five malicious extensions are McAfee Mobile, Netflix Party, Netflix Party 2.
Others are Full Page Screenshot Capture Screenshotting, FlipShope Price Tracker Extension, and AutoBuy Flash Sales.
NCC warnings
According to NCC-CSIRT the five google chrome extensions identified have a high probability and damage potential, have been downloaded more than 1.4 million times, and serve as access to steal users’ data.
Part of the advisory from NCC reads:
“The users of these chrome extensions are unaware of their invasive functionality and privacy risk. Malicious extensions monitor victims’ visits to e-commerce websites and modify the visitor’s cookie to appear as if they came through a referrer link. Consequently, the extensions’ developers get an affiliate fee for any purchases at electronic shops
The Vanguard reports that NCC also stated that although the google team removed several browser extensions from its Chrome Web Store, keeping malicious extensions out may be difficult.
The NCC-CSIRT, thus, recommended that telecom consumers observe caution when installing any browser extension.
The warning continues:
“These include removing all listed extensions from their chrome browser manually. Internet users are to pay close attention to the promptings from their browser extensions, such as the permission to run on any website visited and the data requested before installing it
“Although, some extensions are seemingly legit, due to the high number of user downloads, these hazardous add-ons make it imperative for users to ascertain the authenticity of extensions they access.”
