Google halts malware targeting sensitive data of Chrome users

Google disrupted CryptBot malware infrastructure that stole data from hundreds of thousands of browser users in the past year.

CryptBot is a type of malware that steals sensitive information from infected computers, such as passwords, cookies, credit card information, and cryptocurrency wallets. It was first discovered in 2019 and is typically distributed through spoofed websites offering free downloads of legitimate software.

Google has reported that CryptBot has been spreading through maliciously modified apps, including Google Chrome and Google Earth Pro. Over the past year, it has compromised approximately 670,000 computers and sold stolen information to bad actors for use in data breach campaigns.

To combat the spread of CryptBot, Google has identified its Pakistan-based distributors and obtained a temporary court order to take down current and future domains linked to the malware's distribution. This legal action will slow new infections and decelerate the growth of CryptBot, and it also establishes legal precedent and holds cybercriminals accountable for their actions.

Google's success in disrupting CryptBot follows its legal action against the operators of the Russia-based Glupteba botnet in 2021, which resulted in a significant reduction in infections.