Over 300 Chrome add-ons quietly rerouted millions of searches
Hundreds of Chrome add-ons, installed more than 13 million times, were found secretly changing people’s web searches and sending them through outside systems to make money from ads. This means some users may have had their search activity redirected without realizing it.
Who is at risk
Anyone using Google Chrome, especially people who have installed browser add-ons they do not fully recognize or no longer use, is most at risk.
What to watch for
Watch for searches opening unusual pages, different search results than expected, a changed default search tool, or new browser add-ons you do not remember installing.
What to do
Immediately review and remove any Chrome add-ons you do not recognize or no longer need, then check that your default search settings have not been changed.