152 Chrome Live Wallpaper Extensions Hid Ad Tracking and Fake Search Clicks
A group of Chrome extensions offering live wallpapers has been linked to a large ad monetization and traffic attribution scheme, according to new research from Socket’s Threat Research Team.
The extensions were marketed as harmless new tab customization tools featuring anime, football, cars, games, and other popular themes. Behind the familiar Chrome Web Store listings, researchers found a shared codebase used by 152 extensions connected to 38 publisher accounts and three main brand domains.
Socket said 141 of the extensions were still live and retrievable from the Chrome Web Store during its analysis, while 11 had already been delisted. Together, the network had about 105,000 reported installs.
How the Chrome Extension Network Works
The extensions did not steal passwords or inject ads into pages visited by users, according to the research. Their main purpose is to drive users to ad monetized websites, track install and uninstall events, and make extension...
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