From Bleepingcomputer
The authors of SafeBrowse, a Chrome extension with more than 140,000 users, have embedded a JavaScript library in the extension's code that mines for the Monero cryptocurrency using users' computers and without getting their consent.The additional code drives CPU usage through the roof, making users computers sluggish and hard to use.
The intrusive and highly damaging behavior was noticed almost immediately, as the extension's Web Store page has filled up in the past few hours with negative reviews decrying the surge in CPU resource usage.
Looking at the SafeBrowse extension's source code, anyone can easily spot that its authors embedded the Coinhive JavaScript Miner, an in-browser implementation of the CryptoNight mining algorithm used by CryptoNote-based currencies, such as Monero, Dashcoin, DarkNetCoin, and others.
At the time of writing, the Coinhive JavaScript Miner, as described on its website, only supports Monero mining.
I must say, the evil genius in me has always thought about embedding a crypto miner in a website or browser extension. Ugh but my pesky morals get in the way.
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