Mining script hidden in Chrome browser extension

[NumLock21]

Quote

The authors of SafeBrowse, a Chrome extension with more than 140,000 users, have embedded a JavaScript library in the extension's code that mines for the Monero cryptocurrency using users' computers and without getting their consent.

A extension called SafeBrowse, for Google Chrome has been discovered to contain a mining script, where it will mine monero currency for the developer. When users installed that extension, their system immediately starts to lag and the cpu will skyrocket to full load. Bleeping computer ran a test on that extension and noticed after installing to their test bed, it got the same results, that was experienced by the users.

Quote

The addition of the Coinhive JavaScript Miner to SafeBrowse comes after The Pirate Bay experimented with the same technology as an alternative to showing ads on its site. Users who visited The Pirate Bay last Saturday did not see ads on the site, but the portal loaded a JavaScript file in their browsers that mined Monero for the torrent portal's owners.

 

 

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/chrome-extension-embeds-in-browser-monero-miner-that-drains-your-cpu/

[mr moose]

more and more reasons to have an open internet browser standards for everything.

[Himommies]

this is also happening on the pirates bay

https://gizmodo.com/the-pirate-bay-added-a-cpu-hijacking-bitcoin-miner-to-s-1818488143

[NumLock21]

7 minutes ago, Himommies said:

this is also happening on the pirates bay

https://gizmodo.com/the-pirate-bay-added-a-cpu-hijacking-bitcoin-miner-to-s-1818488143

 

[Princess Luna]

So much for "safe browsing" lol

[Guest]

It really isnt a "safebrowser" anymore and I have never trusted any chrome extensions that promise to be "safe" browsers.

[Ryujin2003]

And people will continue to ignore the fact that nothing is "free" on the internet. I'm honestly not surprised. That's why I don't use extensions created by someone else. Never used Safebrowser, never put CCleaner on my PC, and don't go to Piratebay or any other torrent site. Next People will find mining script in their torrented games and other content... And I'm sure some FTP games will eventually use it too.

[captain_to_fire]

13 hours ago, NumLock21 said:

A extension called SafeBrowse, for Google Chrome

How about using the browser just vanilla?