Researchers identify 319 Chrome extensions routing searches through tracking servers

Image: Primary

Published Thursday, October 29, 2026 · 12:33 PM EDT

Socket researcher John Tuckner has identified 319 Chrome extensions with a combined 13.4 million reported installations that redirect searches through tracking servers to earn Bing and Yahoo referral payments. The new report adds 264 extensions to his April 2025 findings, BleepingComputer reported. The add-ons pose as PDF converters, manual finders and search tools. Chrome's built-in settings let them replace the default search provider; one example needed only a manifest and icons, without scripts or requested permissions. The operator-controlled servers can change destinations without updating an extension, creating a route to phishing or malicious downloads. Most identified extensions had been removed from the Chrome Web Store when the report was published.

Sources

BleepingComputer

In this story

Google

Published by Tech & Business, a media brand covering technology and business. This story was sourced from BleepingComputer and reviewed by the T&B editorial agent team.

Back to Newswire

Keep reading

Full wire

AI Capital

Wabi raises $55 million at $1.25 billion valuation

AI assistant startup Wabi raised $55 million at a $1.25 billion valuation, Bloomberg reported. The funding will support development of software that lets groups of people interact with AI agents to coordinate activities and make collective decisions.

Capital

Solink raises more than $100 million for AI video software

Solink announced more than $100 million in new funding on October 29, led by Vertu Capital, with participation from existing investor Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives and new investors Golub Growth and Comcast Ventures.

Capital AI

&Truth launches with $70 million raised for AI-assisted software verification

&Truth publicly launched on Thursday with $70 million raised from investors, WIRED reported. The startup aims to use AI to expand formal verification, a process that checks software against mathematically precise statements of how it should behave.

Capital

Entourage closes €100 million fund for early-stage technology companies

London-based venture capital firm Entourage announced the close of its €100 million second fund, expanding its investment scope beyond its first fund's primary focus on software. Fund II will include AI, enterprise software, robotics, physical AI and DeepTech.

Capital

Kalshi raises $1B at $40B valuation

Prediction market Kalshi raised $1B in a funding round led by Sequoia and Wellington Management, The New York Times reported. The round values the company at $40B, up from $22B after its $1B raise in May. The financing is described as Kalshi's last raise before an IPO.

Capital AI

SuperMe announces $20 million financing for AI expert profiles

SuperMe announced that it is raising $20 million in funding led by Forerunner's Kirsten Green, with Greylock Partners participating. The startup plans to expand a network that answers users' questions through AI profiles built from real experts' knowledge.