BitDefender: Trojan Posing as Chrome Extension
Google's Chrome web browser is getting the trojan treatment too.
Earlier this week BitDefender said that a trojan is posing as a Google Chrome extension. Naturally email is involved, leading unsuspecting Chrome users to certain doom. Outside the obvious infection, the bad news is that the problem is only going to get worse as more and more users flock to Google's less-bloated web browser offering.
According to the security firm, Google Chrome users receive an unsolicited e-mail which announces that a new extension of their favorite browser has been developed to facilitate their access to documents from e-mails. Recipients are also provided with a link that leads them to a web page identical to the Google Chrome Extensions page. The file listed on the page isn't a Chrome extension, but rather links to a rather nasty trojan.
"Although the sham application has the same description as that of an original Google Chrome Extension, the first sign the more inquisitive users will get about it not being what they were looking for should be the fact that instead of the expected “.crx” extension, it features a flamboyant “.exe” tail," BitDefender said.
BitDefender identified the malware as Trojan.Agent.20577, an application that modifies the Windows HOSTS file in an attempt to block both Google and Yahoo webpages. "Every time users want to access them and write “google.[xxx]” or “[xx].search.yahoo.com” in the web browser, they will be redirected to another IP: 89.149.xxx.xxx," the security firm added. "This allows the malware creators to intercept the victims’ calls to reach the respective sites. In this way, the credulous users will be redirected to the cybercriminals’ own malware-laden versions of those sites."
Eventually it's going to get to the point where consumers can't trust any type of email, forcing everyone to text their messages via IM clients or smartphones.
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Too bad Chrome doesn't have my e-mail.
common sense: use it if you have it.
If something seems off, check the extension. please don't open .exe
http://www.synapsepc.com/Hosting/I [...] 0Sense.jpg
''Eventually it's going to get to the point where consumers can't trust any type of email, forcing everyone to text their messages via IM clients or smartphones.''
Common sense is enough if you are a skilled power user, seriously a .exe lol. But we are past this point since like 2005 for a end user.
Once again the title of this post is totally off. It reads as though an actual chrome extension is a trojan.
Once again the title of this post is totally off. It reads as though an actual chrome extension is a trojan.
I think you misread it, seems fine to me.
Anyways, I could see this seriously going wrong for "average" internet users, not just chrome users.
Once again the title of this post is totally off. It reads as though an actual chrome extension is a trojan.
What? How could it be any clearer: A trojan (malware) is posing (pretending to be) a Chrome Extension. Actually a very clear and concise title. The only way this could be confusing is if you thought it meant that an ancient Greek warrior got a modeling job mimicking be a shiny metal bathroom fixture.
Hmm... I was under the impression that not installing programs that get emailed to you out of the blue was just common sense... Oi.
/sigh
The people that get tricked by this should seriously buy a mac or linux.
It's not that hard to avoid viruses. Haven't run a virus program in over 8 years and have only gotten hit once, from someone else's stupidity on my box.
Article title should have added: "...only Windows users are affected."
why only google and yahoo... why not add bing to the formula??
i know that yahoo is associated to bing somehow, so am sure microsoft is not behind it.
@husker: lol @ ancient Greek warrior
@sos: um, no.
How exactly do they get these email addresses of chrome users?
hahaha take that chrome...
***cry***
i loved you chrome...until you stoppped opening on one my win xp copmuters. chrome is no more.
Soooo.....
What percent of internet users do you reckon know the difference between .exe and .crx?
Thank god for virus, weeds out the wheat from the chaff
(no pun intended)
bummer
This sort of malware problem only gets worse and has done over the last four or five years. The issue lies with the fact there are a large ammount of the general populous who have no common sense what so ever, and will blindly click on files contained within emails, download attachments, oblige in handing over vital personal banking details to fraudulent phishing websites ect.
Botnets are getting worse aswell because these users are not properly protected against such attacks or do not even know thier systems are compromised.
The answer to the whole problem is education, it's far to easy to start using a computer these days without actually knowing about any of these risks.
A good solution would be an advice leaflet which came with every new personal computer or laptop advising consumers on good internet practice and how to avoid becoming a victim of fraudsters.
Microsoft must be laughing.