Malware Can Bypass Chrome Extension Security Feature Easily Ⓐ

Researchers have uncovered a new social engineering trick that leads users to a malicious extension from Google Chrome impersonating to deliver Adobe’s Flash Player in order to lure victims in a click fraud campaign.

Security experts at TrendMicro believe that the malware is triggered by opening Facebook or Twitter via shortened links provided in any social networking websites. Once clicked, the links may lead victims to a site that automatically downloads the malicious browser extension.

MALWARE INVOLVES DOWNLOADING MULTIPLE MALICIOUS FILES

The process is quite complicated as the malware drops a downloader file which downloads multiple malicious files on the victim’s computer. Moreover, the malicious program also has ability to bypass Google's recent security protection added to Chrome against installation of browser extensions that are not in Chrome Web Store.

 

Researchers came across a baiting tweet that advertises “Facebook Secrets”, claiming to show videos that are not publicly available, along with a shortened link that is to be clicked in order to get it. Curious users easily fall victim to such campaign and click the given links to download those videos.

What the user totally unaware of is that the file which he downloaded is a malware dropper with the name “download-video.exe”, detected as TROJ_DLOADE.DND, according to fraud analyst Sylvia Lascano of the security firm Trend Micro.

This malicious file then is used to drop additional malware into the victims’ computer, one such is a Chrome browser extension which masquerades as Flash Player, which could be used for more offensive threats designed to steal victims’ credentials for various online services.