Google Chrome users warned to delete 16 popular extensions due to ‘malicious’ threat risk

NY Post ^ | 2/28/25 | Eric Hegedus

[Libloather]

Google Chrome users have been warned to delete 16 “malicious” browser extensions that could lead to a security threat and “fraud” at the hands of a prolific “threat actor.”

The extensions affect functionality involving screen capture, ad blocking, emoji keyboards and more, with a potential impact on at least 3.2 million users, according to GitLab Threat Intelligence, which first reported the threat.

The extensions inject code and harmful scripts into browsers, allowing hackers to steal user data and engage in search-engine fraud involving ad revenue, according to Tom’s Guide.

After users granted permission to use them, the extensions, while legitimate, were infected with malicious updates that corrupted them.

**SNIP**

The dangerous extensions include:

Blipshot
Emojis (Emoji Keyboard)
Color Changer for YouTube
Video Effects for YouTube and Audio Enhancer
Themes for Chrome and YouTube Picture in Picture
Mike Adblock für Chrome
Super Dark Mode
Emoji Keyboard Emojis for Chrome
Adblocker for Chrome (NoAds)
Adblock for You
Adblock for Chrome
Nimble Capture
KProxy
Page Refresh
Wistia Video Downloader
WAToolkit

[Libloather]

You've been warned.

[SaveFerris]

Bookmark

[monkeyshine]

“Mike Adblock für Chrome”
Nothing suspicious about that name lol

[thinden]

Bttt

[Omnivore-Dan]

Jeez. I don’t suppose MS is going to reimburse anyone for their troubles. “Do not turn off your computer”. Really? I’ll turn anything off in my house I damn sure want to. Take your updates and stick them where the sun don’t shine. Before retiring I was in IT for over 45 years. I never saw such sloppy software until MS.

[Chickensoup]

That include Brave?

[Raycpa]

Bkmk

[maddog55]

Who uses Google Chrome?

[jeffc]

Same here. I remember the 90's. MS updates were waited for with anticipation as they were worth it and usually had goodies included (decent add-ons).

Now I disconnect my laptop from the internet during the "non active hours"...

[jeffc]

My wife still uses Google Chrome. I told her about Brave and how I don’t see ads when I stream the same services she does. I guess it’ll take some time for me to convince her....

[Pontiac]

I used it for inputting my time while working a short term job. It was the only browser the crap program worked on.

But I don’t use it for anything else and I don’t want it on my machine so I deleted it.

[DJ Frisat]

Brave is Chrome-based and uses the same extensions. If It’s corrupted extensions that cause the problem, it seems like it may also be an issue.

That stated, I’m not sure...

[Nailbiter]

for later

[MikelTackNailer]

Dang, Google dropped extension vulnerability education to make time for DEI briefings. Someone is going to need a safe space and a puppy.

[Bob434]

Use adguard- blocks almost all ads- and you can block certain page cells like any news items that search engines want to shove on us- ai buttons, etc individually. I want a clean sea4ch engine, not one with “suggested sites” and “suggested news stories” which are always liberal cesspool stories clutter8ng up the search page.

[dayglored]

Chrome extension warning ... PING!

You can find all the Windows Ping list threads with FR search: just search on keyword "windowspinglist".

Thanks to MikelTackNailer for the ping!

[ducttape45]

I had Super Dark Mode and my chromium browsers disabled it. I removed it anyway cuz it sucked.

[Carriage Hill]

“...users should manually delete them if they are still installed on their browsers.”

HOW do we do that? Any suggestion(s)?

[Carriage Hill]

OK, I figured it out.

Chrome Menu (top right) -> More Tools -> Extensions -> Delete individual Extensions by name.

[Paal Gulli]

OT but if you really need Chrome functionality, you might want to drop it and replace it with one of the many de-G**gled Chrome derivatives.

I'm primarily a *NIX user and the security set-ups of most financial institutions (and the Veterans Administration) are geared to M$ browsers so I find I sometimes have to resort to playing musical browsers to find one that works.

So it's not my "EDB" (every-day browser) but Iron, SRWare's (de-G**gled) fork of Chrome, works for my banking and investment institutions and most government agencies.