Beware of Chrome Extension Store, that includes the new Chromium-based Edge.

Chrome and Edge have infected more than 3 million computers with malware. As most of you know, malware attacks these days are intended to load ransomware onto your machines. Some addons – also called extensions - deploy redirects with invisible buttons covering parts of the screen to allows users to click and install ransomware and remote software. Google has been working on removing addons from its extension store that may be malicious. Many apps such as addons for Facebook, Instagram and Vimeo have been found to have malware hidden within them.

Google has removed over 200 extensions from its store. But is that enough, people that currently have the app will continue to keep the app because chrome cannot remove an installed extension, with security updates they have disabled existing addons google finds malicious and users can decide to bypass this if they want to keep the malicious add on.

The best ways to prevent addons from running malware on your computers is to be vigilant of which ones you install Don’t download addon extensions if you don’t need them Adjust the permission of your addons to allow the least privileges Don’t experiment with extension especially from organizations you don’t know to be reputable.