Google Chrome browser users hit by Bad Piggies malware
updated 07:24 am EDT, Thu October 11, 2012
Malware plugin installed on over 80K computers through Chrome
Over 80,000 Google Chrome browser users have been hit by a fake, malware infected, version of Rovio’s Bad Piggies that is attracting users because it is free. The malware was detected by Barracuda Labs who warned users about a free web-based version of the game found on the official Google Chrome web store that carries the title Angry Birds Bad Piggies. According to Barracuda Labs, the app installs an ad injector that replaces original ads on sites including Yahoo, MSN and others, instead promoting other products.
The security firm says that the app requests additional permissions not normally requested by legitimate applications when it is being installed. As the app has made its way onto the Official Chrome web store, unsuspecting users are duped into thinking the permissions requests are not sinister and accept them. The malware authors can then access all web data when users browse the Internet including user email addresses and online credit card information.
According to Barracuda Labs, the best way to avoid this pitfall is for users to more critically evaluate the types of permissions a Chrome plugin is requesting. If users may have inadvertantly installed a suspicious plug-in, it should be deleted and all user passwords for websites should be reset immediately. [via Pocket Gamer]
