If you've ever used Google Chrome to search for free films, TV shows or premium boxsets on the web then be warned. Scammers are using the lure of watching content online - and without a subscription - to infect Google's hugely popular web browser with a nasty bug that can hijack internet searches and push users to fake sites that are loaded with money-making adverts.
That's according to a new report from HP Wolf Security who say threat actors are hijacking users’ Chrome browsers if they try to download popular movies or video games from pirating websites.
This tactic can be hugely rewarding for cyber crooks especially as this latest attack is highly persistent with it able to re-launch itself every 50 minutes. Scammers are distributing their vicious payload via a Chromeloader extension called Shampoo which they ask unsuspecting users to install when they try and watch videos online.
