Google to tighten up Chrome extension security on Windows

Summary: In order to impede the spread of malicious Chrome extensions on Windows, Google will start requiring all extensions to the stable and beta Windows versions to load from the Chrome Web Store.

According to Google, the leading cause of complaints from Chrome users on Windows is a malicious extension the user installed. To make things harder for the authors of these malicious programs, Google will, starting in January, require that all extensions installed in the stable or beta channel products come from the Chrome Web Store.

Currently, by default, users can install extensions from anywhere. This makes it easy for attackers to post malicious code and lure users to it. After the change, users running the Chrome Dev channel will still be able to install extensions from locations other than the Chrome Web Store.

Google advises developers of extensions to begin migrating their code to the Store immediately. The changes should have no direct impact on users.

A typical Chrome extension

Chrome Apps, as distinct from extensions, are not affected by this change.  Enterprises which use Group Policy to manage and deploy Chrome will also be able to deploy extensions to the beta and stable channels that way, as well as through inline installation.

We have seen complaints of malicious Chrome extensions, specifically adware, for Mac OS X. We asked Google whether they had plans to extend the rule to other platforms and they replied:

This change is planned for Windows only, as that’s where we receive the most user complaints of bad behavior. We may apply to other platforms but have nothing to announce at this time.

Larry Seltzer has long been a recognized expert in technology, with a focus on mobile technology and security in recent years

Fake Chrome, Adobe Flash updates

Summary: Be alert to false updates of chrome and Adobe Flash using techniques of high quality.

This morning I stumbled across what seems to be a new technique of propagation of malware: false updates to Google Chrome and false update "media player" which is designed to look like it comes from Adobe.

Both versions are digitally signed by a valid VeriSign code signing certificates. This is not unprecedented, but it is very unusual for malware authors to use an expensive provider such as VeriSign. VeriSign authentication services are now part of Symantec.

The fake Chrome update uses a similar logo of Chrome, but obviously distinguishable from it. The page correctly identifies the version of Chrome led (the current version) and then says that "it can be dated".

The file is called Chrome_Security_Plugin_Setup.exe and is 1.74 MB. The information in the file identifies it as "Express Install" versión "3, 7, 1, 0". The editor, also identified in the VeriSign code signing certificate, it is "Small Installer".

According to VirusTotal Friday morning, five of the 48 products work with recognized the file. Fortinet and ESET recognized as W32/Kryptik. A blog entry of Fortinet since early this year described as a different from Kryptik variant be focused by FTP information theft and complimented the author on the high quality of your code.

The fake Adobe update is a little less clear about which product is imitating. Instructs the user "update your Media Player now [mandatory]" and uses the appearance of an Adobe update.

The file name is "12.exe Flash Player" and 814 KB. The editor in the PE header, and code signing certificate VeriSign is identified as "Software of air" and PE product name is "Adobe Flash Player" versión 2.0.4.54. VirusTotal is 9 of 48 companies that often identify themselves as adware.

I discovered the files by accident. Through a typo in the address bar I went to an address from which the browser was redirected a few times until it ended in a page that loads one of the two attacks described above. I have notified the administrative contact for the domain, which seems to have been parked.

The first time I found the files I have to pages without any problem. Shortly after, Google Safe Browsing API blocked access to them in Firefox and Chrome.

Larry Seltzer has been a recognized expert in technology, with emphasis on mobile technology and security in recent years

Connoisseurs of technology users prefer chrome

Summary: NetMarketshare says that Internet Explorer is the browser choice in general terms, but readers ZDNet as more than any other Web browser chrome.

If you believe that figures NetMarketshare, Internet Explorer (IE) not only leading Web browser popularity contest in September 2013, with 51.09%, is actually expanding its advantage. But tens of millions of monthly readers ZDNet have a different favorite: chrome.

On behalf of NetMarketShare, IE is the first Web browser.

Breaking figures NetMarketShare, we see that IE is still the dominant browser with a split with the equality between IE8 decrease to 21.3 per cent and increase in IE10 to 19.5 percent of the market.

IE gains came mostly at the expense of fourth Safari, which left more than one percentage point the 11.19 percent. Firefox, came in second, with a slight gain at 16.39%. Chrome also made a slight gain, retain third place with 14.87%.

NetMarketShare massage ts data to reflect the number of Internet users by country. StatCounter, which do not massage your data in this way, shows a world totally different from your Web browser.

StatCounter, however, sees chrome on the top by a comfortable margin.

According to StatCounter, Chrome is the world leader of the Web browser with 40.8 percent. IE, which has been gaining in Chrome since August, is still very from behind with 28.56%. Firefox, which has been in a long, slow decline, has the third place with 18.36%; Safari is in fourth place with 8.52 percent and the remains of the opera, as ever, present in the list top five with 1.16 percent.

Tens of millions of visitors to the ZDNet Web site also prefer chrome by a wide margin. In the most recent numbers available the site since August, 29.8 percent of ZDNet page views came from Chrome users. IE ranked second with 19.9 percent and Firefox was in third place, with 13.2 percent. Coating on the back was a Safari with 4.7 percent and operates with 0.5 percent. 27.7 percent of browsers could not be identified.

Of course ZDNet readers aren't normal Internet users. They tend to be very interested in the technology and the business of technology or do not visit the site. You can also see this in its rate of adoption of 9.4 percent of the relatively new IE10, and how some of them, 0.4 per cent, still using the IE 7 now obsolete.

Thus, while some people, using numbers NetMarketShare, are claiming that IE has won the war of browsers, ZDNet both StatCounter's numbers indicate that the battle between Chrome and IE is still raging - and Chrome, for now, still has the advantage.

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Topics: Networking, Google, Microsoft, Web development

Steven, aka sjvn, has written about the technology and the business of technology from leading edge PC operating system CP/M-80. SJVN covered by networks, Linux, open source, and operating systems.

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