Google Chrome users tricked into downloading fake ad blocker

Over 30,000 people got it from the Web Store

Thousands of Google Chrome users have been tricked into downloading a fake adblocking extension, a security researcher has found.

AdBlock Plus, created by a developer calling themselves Adblock Plus, managed to make its way past Google’s security checks and into the official Chrome Web Store, where it sat alongside the real program.

The developer of the rogue software, which has now been taken down, deliberately designed it to look just like the legitimate Adblock Plus Chrome extension.

It was downloaded by 37,000 Google Chrome users, according to SwiftOnSecurity, who also posted screenshots of the listing and a small selection of reviews.

One of these shots showed a comment from somebody claiming to be affiliated with the real Adblock Plus program, which is developed by adblockplus.org and has over 10 million users.

“This is not the legitimate version of Adblock Plus,” he wrote. "This is a spam account. The legit version of Adblock Plus is the one at the top of the Chrome webstore page.”

It isn’t yet clear if the fake extension had malicious intentions, but Google’s failure to spot it is extremely concerning regardless, both for users and developers.

“Google allows 37,000 Chrome users to be tricked with a fake extension by fraudulent developer who clones popular name and spams keywords,” said SwiftOnSecurity.

“Legitimate developers just have to sit back and watch as Google smears them with fake extensions that steal their good name.”

Google has announced a number of steps to combat annoying ads over recent months.

In September, the company revealed that its web browser will soon mute audio on videos – including ads – that play automatically. It will also let users permanently mute websites that autoplay videos with sound.