Google Chrome users in Ireland have been warned that they are at risk of hackers stealing their personal data through rogue extensions.
Experts at Guardio Security, an internet security firm, claim users who like to style up their web browser may be using apps that are actually a front for hackers, who could steal private passwords.
The various extensions have been downloaded millions of times, according to Guardio, who uncovered the so-called “Dormant Colors” campaign.
READ MORE: Urgent warning for Irish iPhone and Android users as some blocked from sending WhatsApp messages
Nati Tal, Head of Guardio Labs, told The Sun that one of the first things you may or may not notice is that the hack takes over your searches.
When searching something through Chrome, users will be redirected to a ripoff page made to look like Google search.
While hackers could have access to your private login details including passwords, they can also earn money off the back of any purchases you make as an affiliate.
"By mid-October 2022 there were at least 30 variants of this extension part of a campaign for both Chrome and Edge," Nati warned.
"At the end of the day, it’s not only affiliation fees being collected on your back, this is your privacy as well as your internet experience being compromised here, in ways that can target organizations by harvesting credentials and hijacking accounts and financial data," he added.
"No extension that makes a fine-looking website look dark and ugly is worth it…"
Guardio say hackers are developing similar extensions all the time, but the firm has released a list of the names of the extensions thought to be being used by fraudsters.
They are:
- Action Colors
- Power Colors
- Nino Colors
- More Styles
- Super Colors
- Mix Colors
- Mega Colors
- Get colors
- what color
- Single Color
- colors scale
- style flex
- Background colors
- more styles
- Change Color
- Dood Colors
- refresh color
- imginfo
- WebPage Colors
- hex colors
- soft view
- border colors
- colors mode
- Xer Colors
READ NEXT:
Mum of Irishwoman murdered in Japan speaks out at killer's release
New data lists the Covid symptoms to look out for depending on vaccines status
Irish tax benefits everyone in Ireland is entitled to which could save money
Bank Holiday passengers won't see major delays in Dublin Airport despite warning
Ronan Keating shares touching tribute to wife Storm on her birthday
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
