ChromeOS Malware
ChromeOS is a very secure operating system by design; however, it is technically possible for some forms of malware to be installed. Most of the time, this is benign adware that will spam users with annoying ads intended to scare users into believing they are infected with more dangerous forms of malware - known as malvertising. In most cases, users impacted with these forms of malware are tricked into calling a phone number or otherwise visiting a scammers' website to purchase a fraudulent service or turn over sensitive information. Contrary to what the scammers who produce these applications may say, your ChromeOS device is not in danger and removing these applications is relatively easy.
ChromeOS Antivirus Solutions
ChromeOS does not need any antivirus tools or malware scanners and due to technical limitations within ChromeOS, many of the claims these tools boast are simply impossible. There are several websites that offer instructions to remove viruses, spyware and other malicious software on ChromeOS, all of which conveniently recommend a free-trial of an antivirus tool. However, these tutorials are often written for Windows, with the word Windows substituted for ChromeOS. These websites also tend to offer the Android version of the Antivirus tool, which is mostly ineffective in most of ChromeOS.
Most of these websites are simply affiliate sites that are paid for each user who they refer to the Antivirus developer, many of these website owners have never used a ChromeOS-powered device, hence why they often re-use content designed for a more familiar platform such as Windows, macOS or Android.
The main reason why most of the claims made by these websites are dubious is due to the containerized nature of ChromeOS. Android Applications have very limited access to ChromeOS, often only able to see portions of the users' file system, and this would also require the user to explicitly grant permissions to access the files. Android applications have no way to view the state of the Chrome Web Browser, including extensions, cache or cookies. Linux applications have no access to the ChromeOS file system unless the user grants file permissions to the files they wish to share with Linux, and Chrome Extensions are also sandboxed into their own dedicated container. There is simply no way that a single application to span each of the areas of a ChromeOS device where malware can target due to the way ChromeOS was designed, this also means that there are currently no known pieces of malware that can target ChromeOS.
ChromeOS Malware Removal
There are three primary types of malicious applications can be installed; Chrome Extensions, Service Workers or Android Applications. If you suspect that your ChromeOS Device has been infected with Malware, you will need to identify the source of the malware to effectively remove it. The table below shows a breakdown of each of the common malware types, symptoms and steps to remove.
| Malware Type | Description | Possible Symptoms/Exposure |
|---|---|---|
| Malicious Chrome Extensions | Chrome Extensions are small applications that can be installed in the Chrome Browser. These extensions can be used to add additional features to the browser or to modify the behavior of the browser. Some malicious extensions can be used to inject ads into web pages or to track your browsing habits. |
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| Malicious Service Workers or Progressive Web Applications (PWA) | Service Workers are small applications that run in the background of your browser. These applications can be used to cache data, send push notifications, or to perform other tasks. Some malicious service workers can be used to inject ads into web pages or to track your browsing habits. Progressive Web Applications, or PWAs are websites with enhanced features that allow some websites to offer features that were previously only able to be done on a native application, such as the ability to work offline or store files on your local device. Progressive Web Applications also rely on Service Workers and can perform the same actions as a Malicious Service Worker. |
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| Malicious Android Applications | ChromeOS includes a compatibility layer that allows Android Applications to run on ChromeOS. Although rare, the Google Play Store may occasionally have malicious Android applications that can be installed on your ChromeOS device. Some malicious Android Applications can be used to route traffic through VPNs that can monitor web traffic or inject ads into web pages. If granted filesystem access, malicious Android applications can access files on your device. |
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