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Fake Bad Piggies app has infected 80,000 Google Chrome users with aggressive adware

Angry gamers

Fake Bad Piggies app has infected 80,000 Google Chrome users with aggressive adware
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| Bad Piggies

Barracuda Networks, a company which specialises in security and data protection solutions, has revealed that more than 80,000 swine-loving gamers may have fallen victim to a fake version of Rovio's Angry Birds follow-up Bad Piggies.

If you've downloaded Bad Piggies for Google's Chrome browser, you could be one of the 80,000. The fake app installs a plug-in that displays pesky on-screen advertisements when you visit popular websites such as MSN, Yahoo, eBay, and MySpace.

According to Barracuda Networks's report, once you've given the app permission to "access your data on all websites", the plug-in can be used to steal sensitive information like email addresses and online credit card information.

"When installing a plug-in inside the Chrome web store, consider the requested permissions with a critical eye toward the intent of the plug-in. If the plug-in requests any permission that does not seem reasonable, do not install it", Barracuda Networks suggests.

"If you have already installed, uninstall it immediately and change your passwords on other websites if possible."

Anthony Usher
Anthony Usher
Anthony is a Liverpool, UK-based writer who fell in love with gaming while playing Super Mario World on his SNES back in the early '90s. When he isn't busy grooming his beard, you can find him replaying Resident Evil or Final Fantasy VII for the umpteenth time. Aside from gaming, Anthony likes hiking, MMA, and pretending he’s a Viking.