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Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

SpendLessTime
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Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

This steals your username/password for the PC you are using.

From https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/17/chrome_on_windows_has_credential_theft_bug/

Google's Chrome team is working to fix a credential theft bug that strikes if the browser is running on Microsoft Windows.The bug is exploited if a user is tricked into clicking a link that downloads a Windows .scf file (the ancient Shell Command File format, a shortcut to Show Desktop since Windows 98).

..

Here's where the Windows flaw comes in: merely viewing the folder will trigger Windows to try and retrieve an icon associated with the .scf file.

To retrieve the icon, the user's machine will present credentials to a server – their user ID and hashed password on a corporate network, or the home group's credentials if it's a personal machine.

Solution until bug is fixed is

Chrome users should get to their Advanced settings, and make Chrome ask where downloaded files are to be saved: that way, the .scf extension will be revealed.

Ex - Plusnet Customer (2009 - 2023) now with BT
15 REPLIES 15
shutter
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

Didn`t someone flag up CHROME as a nosey parker anyway... just after it was released, as the latest and greates, all singing and all dancing, wallpapering, new kitchen and bathroom refurbishment of a browser ?

 

Well, that first, initial description, put me off it, and it has never been installed on my computer...

VileReynard
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

Well, I put Cromium on my PC, but only because it runs flash better than Fire Fox.

I virtually never have any use for it.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

TheRoadCrew
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

@shutter you may find Iridium is more to your liking than Chrome; you may even like its default search engine (Qwant)

shutter
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

Hmm.... thanks for the "Heads up"... never heard of it....but.... the first words of the description put me right off....

 

"The Iridium Browser is based on the Chromium code base."   sure it goes on about how secure it is... but then   so did Google with Chrome.... until someone found out otherwise.....

 

 

chenks76
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

don't confuse Chromium with Chrome though.
not the same thing.
shutter
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

True... but how am I to know the difference ?   chrome is a short word for chromium... and maybe the promotors of the iridium site are trying to confuse people using the "posh" word  for the same thing...

 

 

Or... reverse that thought.... Google is using the short version to be more trendy... to be more acceptable to the younger element.. 

 

VileReynard
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

I did wonder... Cheesy

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

chenks76
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat


@shutter wrote:

True... but how am I to know the difference ?   chrome is a short word for chromium... and maybe the promotors of the iridium site are trying to confuse people using the "posh" word  for the same thing...

 

 

Or... reverse that thought.... Google is using the short version to be more trendy... to be more acceptable to the younger element.. 

 


chromium is the open source project that various browsers are based on.
chrome uses (or did, i believe they are moving away from a chromium base) chromium as a base.

just to confuse matters, chromium was started by Google originally.

how to tell the difference?
one browser happens to be called Chrome and has google services built-in.
others aren't called chrome and may or may not use the chromium base (which doesn't have google services built-in).

shutter
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

@chenks76 so .... at the moment.... its "kinda" the same thing...... but .... not "kinda" the same thing...

 

As  in  ... I have a Chrome bumper on my car.........   but you have a Chromium bumper on your car   ..... ( metaphorically speaking of course ) ....  ! 

 

Yeah... not to be confused....

chenks76
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

well no not really the same thing.

chrome is a browers that uses chromium open source code as a base, as do many other browers.
chrome then adds on stuff on top of that base code, as would other browsers that use the open source code.

the chromium browser is basically just that open source code with nothing added on.
shutter
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

Pot of black paint......    =   Really Black

 

Pot of black paint with 10% red  paint mixed in.... =   Not Really Black... ( but to the naked eye still looks black )..

Browni
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

Or pot of black paint with 10% red paint carefully poured on top (think of it as a skin.)

It looks red but is actually black underneath.
chenks76
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

or

Audi Q3
Skoda Yeti
VW Tiguan

all made in the same factory with the same "core", but with different badges, skins and features.

but back to the original point chromium /= chrome.
chrome is chromium + added google "features"

St3
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Re: Chrome Browser on Windows - New Threat

Nothing is safe on the internet these days, i dont ever have problems using chrome and who cares if it spys on you.... we are all being watched anyways.