Adware Vendors Buy Chrome Extensions to Send Ad- and Malware-Filled Updates

Ron Amadeo, writing for Ars Technica:

To make matters worse, ownership of a Chrome extension can be transferred to another party, and users are never informed when an ownership change happens. Malware and adware vendors have caught wind of this and have started showing up at the doors of extension authors, looking to buy their extensions. Once the deal is done and the ownership of the extension is transferred, the new owners can issue an ad-filled update over Chrome’s update service, which sends the adware out to every user of that extension.

Devious strategy.

★ Monday, 20 January 2014