So you put an ad blocker in your Google account. But now you can’t find it. There is probably a good reason for that. It could be because of a fake ad blocker. Check your Google account now!
So this warning started with a story AdGuard’s blog released. In it, they exposed fake extensions that used extra code. They feed on the info of websites you visit, almost like some monster out of a swamp that yearns to get bigger. But Google already takes action. They took off five fake ad blockers out of their store. And these were top downloading ad blockers too. You can bet they will remove some more as well.
However, this hardly seems to be new. In fact, AdGaurd’s blog warned about this starting last year. That year alone, some 37,000 people got a AdBlock Plus for their device. It turned out to be a fake ad blocker. It clones and preys on popular keywords. Then, it took real extensions and added their own malicious content they hide in the images. Instead of blocking the ad, (they may do some blocking to save face), it eats up your info. There’s no telling what they will do when they get it.
So what can we do? AdGuard suggests check the extension author. Make sure it’s somebody you trust. Why do I talk about this? As I stated before, we in IT support need to warn people of such warnings. But as for me, I think I’ll deal with the ads. Yes, they can be annoying and pestering. However, at least they’re not infecting our systems, well, most of them aren’t. This is why I urge you, and all that depend on IT support to check your Google account now! See what’s real and what’s not. And if a fake ad blocker sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. What are some real ad blockers you can trust?