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breaches incidents
Searchjacked: Hidden Browser Extensions Hijack Searches for 13 Million Users
A decade-long campaign involving 319 browser extensions has hijacked search queries from approximately 13.4 million Chrome users by intercepting searches through proxy servers and routing them through search monetization partnerships with Yahoo and Bing. The extensions, often promoted through low-quality ad networks and kept hidden in the Chrome Web Store, capture complete search histories tied to unique identifiers and could selectively redirect queries to phishing pages or malware based on search content, geography, or other parameters. Organized operators ranging from ad-tech firms to individuals have profited from search referral revenue while maintaining plausible deniability through distributed domain infrastructure and shallow branding.
Why it matters: Chrome users are affected by ongoing search hijacking that exposes their complete query history to third-party operators and creates a vector for targeted malicious redirects; practitioners should audit installed Chrome extensions for hidden search provider overrides and review browser default settings, particularly for extensions with no stated utility beyond search redirection.
- Source published
- First seen by Cybersecurity Tracker
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Correction
Correction recorded as of .
breaches incidents
Searchjacked: Hidden Browser Extensions Hijack Searches for 13 Million Users
A decade-long campaign involving 319 browser extensions has hijacked search queries from approximately 13.4 million Chrome users by intercepting searches through proxy servers and routing them through search monetization partnerships with Yahoo and Bing. The extensions, often promoted through low-quality ad networks and kept hidden in the Chrome Web Store, capture complete search histories tied to unique identifiers and could selectively redirect queries to phishing pages or malware based on search content, geography, or other parameters. Organized operators ranging from ad-tech firms to individuals have profited from search referral revenue while maintaining plausible deniability through distributed domain infrastructure and shallow branding.
Why it matters: Chrome users are affected by ongoing search hijacking that exposes their complete query history to third-party operators and creates a vector for targeted malicious redirects; practitioners should audit installed Chrome extensions for hidden search provider overrides and review browser default settings, particularly for extensions with no stated utility beyond search redirection.
- Source published
- First seen by Cybersecurity Tracker