Google has now decided to delete two adblockers from the Chrome Web Store. More specifically, these are the add-ons Nano Adblocker and Nano Defender.
But what actually led to the deletion? And were user data possibly in danger?
One thing is certain: it is not uncommon for add-ons to have to be removed from the stores. In the past, there have already been a number of scenarios that made it necessary to take appropriate action. All the better if those responsible manage to react quickly and thus avert much of the potential damage. In the case of the two add-ons mentioned, a user number in the higher six-digit (!) range was affected.
Why were the two adblockers removed ?
Nano Adblocker and Nano Defender were probably equipped with a malicious code and thus were able to collect user data. According to a report on zdnet.com, the corresponding Firefox blockers (with the same name) are not affected.
In the case of the Chrome variant, the IP addresses of the users, various http methods or responses, the time the person concerned spent on the respective homepage and further information about visited URLs are said to have been at risk.
And it was precisely this potential danger in connection with the “smuggled in” codes that ensured that the blockers were now deleted comparatively quickly and thus belong to the past. They can now no longer be downloaded. At the same time, deactivation takes place on the users’ devices.
Thus Nano Adblocker and Nano Defender were on the market for more than a year. But don’t worry! The malicious code was not present in the original versions from that time. Instead, the two Chrome extensions were sold to new owners. These delivered the update that contained the said malware – under the guise of a classic adblocker.
