Di agency wey dey monitor communications technology for Nigeria don warn citizens against di use of some kain applications for dia mobile phone and computer.
Di Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) say dem don identify five harmful “Google chrome extensions”.
Na di computer security incident response team of di NCC raise di alarm.
Di computer security incident response team na di telecom sector cyber security incidence centre wey di agency set up to focus on incidents in di telecom sector and as dem fit affect telecom consumers and citizens at large.
“Di pipo wey dey use diz chrome extensions no know of di invasive functionality of di extensions and di privacy risk,” NCC toktok pesin, Reuben Muoka explain for di advisory.
Wetin be di apps
Di NCC say di extensions dey secretly track online browser activities and tiff di data of users.
According to di commission, di computer security incident response team of di NCC make di discovery in conjunction wit di McAfee mobile research team.
Di applications na;
- Netflix Party wit 800,000 downloads
- Netflix Party 2 wit 300,000 downloads
- Full Page Screenshot Capture Screenshotting wit 200,000 downloads
- FlipShope Price Tracker Extension wit 80,000 downloads
- AutoBuy Flash Sales wit 20,000 downloads.
NCC say pipo don download di extensions wey fit spoil some tin more dan 1.4 million times.
How di apps take dey dangerous
Muoka say , “di dangerous extensions dey monitor victims’ visits to e-commerce websites and modify di visitor cookie.
“Di tin go appear as if dem come through a referrer link. Consequently, di extensions’ developers get one oda fee for any purchase for electronic shops.”
E add say even though di google team remove several browser extensions from dia Chrome web store, e go still hard small to remove di dangerous extensions.
Dia recommendation be say make telecom consumers observe caution wen dem dey install any browser extension.
Di way to avoid di dangerous apps na;
- To remove all listed extensions from dia chrome browser manually
- Internet Users need to pay close attention to di promptings from dia browser extensions
- Pay attention wen you see permission to run on any website and di data before installing.
Wetin be Google chrome extensions
Google Chrome extensions na software programmes wey fit dey installed on top phone in order to change how di browser dey function.
Dis one include adding new features to Chrome or modifying di existing behavior of di program itself to make am more convenient for di user.
Dem dey serve purposes such as block ads, integration wit password managers and sourcing coupons as items pesin send to a shopping cart.
