Google Chrome AI extensions deliver info-stealing malware in broad attack


Small businesses and boutique organizations should use caution when leaning on browser-friendly artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate ideas, content, and marketing copy, as a set of Google Chrome extensions were recently compromised to deliver info-stealing malware disguised as legitimate updates.

Analyzed by researchers at Extension Total, the cybercriminal campaign has managed to take over the accounts of at least 36 Google Chrome extensions that provide AI and VPN services. The compromised extensions include “Bard AI Chat,” “ChatGPT for Google Meet,” “ChatGPT App,” “ChatGPT Quick Access,” “VPNCity,” “Internxt VPN,” and more, which are used by an estimated total of 2.6 million people.

Read more…
Source: Malwarebytes Labs


Sign up for our Newsletter


Related:

  • Drilling Deep: A Look at Cyberattacks on the Oil and Gas Industry

    December 18, 2019

    Mining, transportation, refining, distribution—the oil and gas industry has a widespread and complicated production chain that can be difficult to comprehensively defend. Risks come from all sides: extreme weather can affect transportation, politics (global and local) can impact production, and physical attacks on infrastructure can actually threaten worker safety and even impact the world’s oil ...

  • Rancor: Cyber Espionage Group Uses New Custom Malware to Attack Southeast Asia

    December 17, 2019

    In late June 2018, Unit 42 revealed a previously unknown cyber espionage group we dubbed Rancor, which conducted targeted attacks in Southeast Asia throughout 2017 and 2018. In recent attacks, the group has persistently targeted at least one government organization in Cambodia from December 2018 through January 2019. While researching these attacks, we discovered an undocumented, ...

  • Lazarus pivots to Linux attacks through Dacls Trojan

    December 17, 2019

    Lazarus, an advanced persistent threat (APT) group, has expanded its reach with the development and use of a Trojan designed to attack Linux systems. The APT, suspected to hail from North Korea, has previously been connected to global cyberattacks and malware outbreaks including the infamous WannaCry rampage, the $80 million Bangladeshi bank heist, and a new campaign impacting financial institutions worldwide. Recent reports ...

  • DDoS Attacks and IoT Exploits: New Activity from Momentum Botnet

    December 16, 2019

    Trend Micro recently found notable malware activity affecting devices running Linux, a platform that has battled numerous issues just this year. Further analysis of retrieved malware samples revealed that these actions were connected to a botnet called Momentum (named for the image found in its communication channel). We found new details on the tools and techniques ...

  • Mirai Variant ECHOBOT Resurfaces with 13 Previously Unexploited Vulnerabilities

    December 13, 2019

    Since the discovery of the Mirai variant using the binary name ECHOBOT in May 2019, it has resurfaced from time to time, using new infrastructure, and more remarkably, adding to the list of vulnerabilities it scans for, as a means to increase its attack surface with each evolution. Unlike other Mirai variants, this particular variant stands out for the sheer ...

  • Multi-stage downloader Trojan sLoad abuses BITS almost exclusively for malicious activities

    December 12, 2019

    Many of today’s threats evolve to incorporate as many living-off-the-land techniques as possible into the attack chain. The PowerShell-based downloader Trojan known as sLoad, however, puts all its bets on BITS. Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) is a component of the Windows operating system that provides an ability to transfer files in an asynchronous and throttled fashion using ...