Google Chrome

North Korean threat actors have published 108 malicious packages and web browser extensions across npm, Packagist, Go, and Google Chrome as part of the PolinRider campaign. The campaign remains active, with new malicious packages likely to continue appearing.

Arvind Jain, co-founder of Rubrik and Glean, observed Sundar Pichai's rise at Google and identified shared traits among Pichai, Larry Page, and Sergey Brin, including intensity, hard work, and the ability to think beyond conventional constraints. Jain credits Pichai's success with Google Chrome—initially dismissed as a poor idea—for demonstrating the value of 'crazy' thinking over mere effort.

Cybersecurity researchers identified 152 Google Chrome extensions acting as new tab live wallpaper add-ons to distribute a potentially unwanted program (PUP) family. These extensions, linked to 38 publisher accounts and three domains (tabplugins.com, yowgames.com, chromewallpaper.com), have been installed 105,000 times.

Google Chrome is removing all uBlock Origin bypasses, with Microsoft Edge and Opera set to follow. The change affects ad-blocking capabilities in these browsers.

A malicious campaign is stealing developers' secrets via fake Claude Code installers, targeting Chromium-based browsers and exfiltrating sensitive data. The attackers abuse the IElevator2 COM interface to decrypt cookies, passwords, and payment methods. The campaign uses a unique payload that doesn't match any documented malware family.

Google Chrome's AI features may be using 4GB of computer storage. The features, including Gemini and Nano, are part of Chrome's AI-powered tools. This storage usage has been reported by users and may affect computer performance.

Google Chrome has been downloading a 4GB AI model for on-device processing for years, but recent notifications have caused confusion among users. The model is used to power features like Help Me Write, tab organization, and scam detection. Google's lack of explanation has contributed to the confusion.

Google Chrome installs a 4 GB local large language model on users' computers without consent, taking up disk space and potentially contributing to climate costs. The model, called Gemini Nano, can be disabled through Chrome's flags or enterprise policies. Users who didn't opt out can find instructions to remove the model.

Google Chrome is silently downloading a 4GB AI model called Gemini Nano to eligible devices and re-downloading it if deleted. The AI Mode button in Chrome does not use this model. This behavior has raised concerns about user privacy and control.

The VoidStealer Trojan has found a way to bypass Google Chrome's encryption protection, specifically App-Bound Encryption (ABE), which could lead to infostealers. This vulnerability opens up the possibility of stealing sensitive information. The discovery was made by the authors of the VoidStealer Trojan.

A researcher alleges that Chrome downloads a 4GB AI file without user consent and the file reappears if deleted. The download occurs without an opt-in option. This behavior raises concerns about user privacy and data storage.

Google Chrome may be taking up to 4GB of computer storage due to a large AI model file called weights.bin, which is connected to Google's Gemini Nano AI model. This file is automatically downloaded when certain AI features are enabled, such as scam detection and writing assistance. The issue has been noticed by users who have seen unexplained drops in their available desktop device storage.

Google Chrome on Android now allows users to share their approximate location and this feature will soon be available on desktops. The new feature aims to enhance user experience. It increases flexibility for users across different devices.

Google Chrome has been found to silently install a 4 GB AI model on users' devices without their consent, sparking concerns over privacy and data usage. The installation occurs through the browser's update mechanism. Users have expressed outrage over the lack of transparency.

The article tracks the current Chromium versions used by major browsers like Chrome, Edge, Brave, and others, highlighting discrepancies between browser updates and the underlying Chromium project. It references a dedicated website for tracking this data and includes a Hacker News discussion link.

Google Chrome introduces new AI-powered 'Skills' via the Gemini sidebar, offering features like maximizing protein in recipes and summarizing YouTube videos. These Skills leverage Gemini's capabilities to enhance user productivity and content engagement.

Cybersecurity researchers discovered 108 malicious Google Chrome extensions linked to a shared command-and-control infrastructure, designed to steal user data from Google and Telegram, inject ads, and execute arbitrary JavaScript. The campaign has affected 20,000 users, with Socket identifying the extensions as part of the attack.