User’s privacy is compromised by this procedure since a log of all clicks is being sent to these third party intermediary websites.

Anytime a user clicks on a link, the extensions send information about the click to the attacker’s control server, which can optionally send a command to redirect the victim from the real link target to a new hijacked URL before later redirecting them to the actual website they wanted to visit. Users have also reported that these extensions are manipulating their internet experience and redirecting them to other websites. The researchers have identified malicious code in the Javascript-based extensions that allows the extensions to download further malware onto a user’s PC. The extensions which aid users in downloading videos from these platforms include Video Downloader for Facebook, Vimeo Video Downloader, Instagram Story Downloader, VK Unblock, and other browser extensions on the Google Chrome Browser, and some on Microsoft Edge Browser. According to the app stores’ download numbers, around three million people may be affected worldwide. The malware has the functionality to redirect user’s traffic to ads or phishing sites and to steal people’s personal data, such as birth dates, email addresses, and active devices.

Prague, Czech Republic, December 16th, 2020 - Threat Intelligence researchers from Avast (LSE:AVST), a global leader in digital security and privacy products, have identified malware hidden in at least 28 third party Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge extensions associated with some of the world’s most popular platforms.

Instagram downloader extension