CacheFlow

Extensions are an excellent way to extend Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge's functionality via add-ons made by 3rd-party developers. However, not all browser add-ons are safe to use, and even the ones you fetch from official sources not always be reliable. You should always check their rating and reviews, and you should keep your computer protected by an up-to-date anti-malware software suite. Cybersecurity experts uncovered recently a large campaign that propagated malware through malevolent Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge add-ons. The malware, dubbed CacheFlow, was first identified in December 2020. The majority of users who had CacheFlow on their computers were situated in Brazil, Ukraine and France.

The malware was often hidden inside extensions, which promised to deliver helpful functionality to their users. For example, it was commonly spread via deceptive video conversion add-ons, video downloads, document converters, and similar extensions. The good news is that the CacheFlow malware did not cause much harm to compromised systems. Instead, it siphoned out information about the victim's browsing habits and search queries and then triggered browser redirects, which usually led them to advertisements and non-trustworthy websites.

The authors of the CacheFlow Malware employed some very efficient tricks to keep the malware hidden on compromised systems. They would pre-emptively scan the user's list of installed add-ons – if they spotted any entries related to Web development, they would cease the attack. In a similar fashion, the malware would deactivate itself if Google Chrome's 'Developer Console' was open.

Some of the Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge add-ons involved in the CacheFlow Malware campaign are:

Direct Message for Instagram, Downloader for Instagram, Stories for Instagram, Video Downloader for FaceBook™, Zoomer for Instagram and Facebook, Odnoklassniki UnBlock. Works quickly., Vimeo™ Video Downloader, Volume Controller, SoundCloud Music Downloader, Instagram App with Direct Message DM

You can keep your system safe from unsafe add-ons like these by using a regularly updated anti-virus software suite, as well as following the aforementioned online security tips when looking for new add-ons to use.