4 major browsers are getting hit in widespread malware attacks

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An ongoing malware campaign is blasting the Internet with malware that neuters the security of Web browsers, adds malicious browser extensions, and makes other changes to users’ computers, Microsoft said on Thursday.

Adrozek, as the software maker has dubbed the malware family, relies on a sprawling distribution network comprising 159 unique domains with each one hosting an average of 17,300 unique URLs. The URLs, in turn, host an average of 15,300 unique malware samples. The campaign began no later than May and hit a peak in August, when the malware was observed on 30,000 devices per day.

Not your father’s affiliate scam

The attack works against the Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Yandex browsers, and it remains ongoing. The end goal for now is to inject ads into search results so the attackers can collect fees from affiliates. While these types of campaigns are common and represent less of a threat than many types of malware, Adrozek stands out because of malicious modifications it makes to security settings and other malicious actions it performs.

“Cybercriminals abusing affiliate programs is not new—browser modifiers are some of the oldest types of threats,” researchers from the Microsoft 365 Defender Research Team wrote in a blog post. “However, the fact that this campaign utilizes a piece of malware that affects multiple browsers is an indication of how this threat type continues to be increasingly sophisticated. In addition, the malware maintains persistence and exfiltrates website credentials, exposing affected devices to additional risks.”

The post said that Adrozek is installed “through

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