Home Malware Programs Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) ChromeWebStore Chrome Extension

ChromeWebStore Chrome Extension

Posted: October 30, 2017

Threat Metric

Ranking: 6,433
Threat Level: 8/10
Infected PCs: 3,661
First Seen: October 30, 2017
Last Seen: October 11, 2023
OS(es) Affected: Windows

The ChromeWebStore Chrome Extension is a dubious browser add-on whose authors have opted to spread it via a regular executable file, which prompts users to install the 'ChromeWebStore' add-on. Naturally, this extension has nothing to do with neither Google nor the Chrome Store, and the only purpose of its misleading name is to trick people into thinking that it is a legitimate piece of software. When ChromeWebStore Chrome Extension is installed, it may disable all of Chrome's add-ons instantly with only one exception – it does not disable AdBlock.

In addition to blocking other Chrome extensions, the ChromeWebStore Chrome Extension also will make it impossible for users to access the add-on manager, therefore preventing them from uninstalling the dubious extension. Apart from this operation, the ChromeWebStore Chrome Extension also will connect to a Google Docs file and exfiltrate a list of URLs from there. These URLs contain instructions on what the extension needs to do – it is possible that this might be related to adware activity and the purpose of ChromeWebStore Chrome Extension might be to browse ads in the background silently. The last interesting bit of information regarding the ChromeWebStore Chrome Extension is that its developers have opted to use the ID of the popular Chrome add-on 'LastPass.'

Since the ChromeWebStore Chrome Extension takes the necessary measures to make its removal as difficult as possible, we advise users affected by this add-on to install and run a trustworthy anti-malware scanner immediately. Such software should be able to identify the ChromeWebStore Chrome Extension's files swiftly and delete them permanently.

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