NCC Alerts Nigerians on Google Chrome Extensions Stealing Users’ Data

NCC Alerts Nigerians on Google Chrome Extensions Stealing Users’ Data

The Nigerian Communications Commission’s Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT) has identified five malicious Google Chrome Extensions that secretly track and steal data from online browsers.

According to NCC-CSIRT, the five malicious extensions discovered earlier by the McAfee Mobile Research Team are Netflix Party (800,000 downloads), Netflix Party 2 (300,000 downloads), Full Page Screenshot Capture Screenshotting (200,000 downloads), FlipShope Price Tracker Extension (80,000 downloads), and AutoBuy Flash Sales (20,000 downloads).

According to the NCC-CSIRT, the five identified Google Chrome extensions have a high probability and damage potential, have been downloaded more than 1.4 million times, and serve as access to steal users’ data. The telecom cybersecurity protection team warned telecom customers to be cautious when installing any browser extension.

The NCC-CSIRT in an advisory issued today said: “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.”

In addition, the advisory 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.

“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,” the advisory stated.

Google Chrome extensions are software programs that can be installed in Chrome to alter the functionality of the browser. This includes adding new features to Chrome or changing the program’s existing behavior to make it more user-friendly.

They perform functions such as ad blocking, password manager integration, and coupon sourcing as items added to a shopping cart.

NCC Alerts Nigerians on Google Chrome Extensions