Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.

Do Not Install "Elephants Have the Shortest Sleep" Chrome Extension
Do Not Install Elephants Have the Shortest Sleep Chrome Extension

Online users, do not install the "Elephants Have the Shortest Sleep" Google Chrome web browser extension below, because it is malicious. The extension was created by cybercriminals to steal personal information and may also steal other sensitive information. The malicious Chrome extension is being distributed via malicious advertisements (adware), and will hijack the users’ web browser by preventing them from closing the browser window, and forcing them to add or install the malicious extension.

The malicious Google Chrome extension is located at the malicious website: hxxp://mycol.club/, and in the Chrome Play Store or webstore at:

  • hxxps://chrome.google.com/webstore/ detail/bcgcanhcnlfodjbeekliijijanmpopnk

It has the following title and description:

“Elephants Have the Shortest Sleep”

“African elephants in the wild have the shortest sleep period of any mammal.”

Online users are asked not to visit the malicious website: hxxp://mycol.club/, and if a message appears asking them install the extension while browsing the web, they should just forcefully close their Google Chrome web browser.

And, for Google Chrome users who have already installed the malicious extension, please follow the instructions below to remove it:

  • Forcefully close Google Chrome browser, if it is being hijacked.
  • Open Google Chrome browser
  • Type the following in Chrome’s address bar and click “Go” button or “Enter” key: chrome://extensions
  • Search for the extension with the name: “Elephants Have the Shortest Sleep”
  • Click the garbage bin icon next to it, in order to remove it.
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