Google just removed 500 Chrome extensions containing malware

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA — Google has removed hundreds of extensions for their internet browser Chrome after they were found to have malware.

A joint investigation by cyber security firm Duo Security, and Jamila Kaya, an independent security researcher, has identified roughly 70 chrome extensions that contained malicious codes.

The researchers notified Google after which the tech giant conducted its own analysis and found more than 500 chrome extensions that were infected with malware.

According to the report, the chrome extensions would inject malicious advertisements while users are browsing a website or lead users to specific websites such as Macys, Dell, or BestBuy.

In some cases, the extension would take users to a phishing page or a malware download site.

Researchers said that if users weren't regularly checking their chrome extensions, the plugins were able to collect extensive data and generate revenue through the user's device.

Google has since removed the malicious chrome extensions and deactivated them for users who had installed the extensions on their browser, according to ZDNet. The website reports that Google also marked these extensions as "malicious", so users would know to not reactivate them and to get rid of them from their browser.

Google did not mention how many people had been affected by the breach.