Popular Chrome extension Hola sold users' bandwidth for botnets - Polidicks

[IMG]http://swimsuit.moe/images/hola-logo.jpg[/IMG] [QUOTE]Hola, one of the most popular online services for [URL="http://www.hola.org"]viewing blocked videos and TV shows[/URL] from other countries, has turned its users into a botnet without their knowledge. The software, which is available as [URL="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hola-better-internet/gkojfkhlekighikafcpjkiklfbnlmeio?hl=en"]plugin for the Chrome browser[/URL] on desktop and mobile devices, had previously been[URL="http://lifehacker.com/5983904/the-always-up-to-date-guide-to-streaming-blocked-content-overseas"] praised[/URL] for offering an easy-to-use and free service. However, it seems the company has been discreetly selling users' "idle resources" (i.e. their bandwidth) via a separate [URL="https://luminati.io/"]Luminati brand[/URL], allowing anyone to buy traffic in bulk and redirect it to a target site as a denial-of-service attack. Essentially, Hola's users have been unwitting mercenaries in a botnet-for-hire.[/QUOTE] Sources: [URL]http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/29/8685251/hola-vpn-botnet-selling-users-bandwidth[/URL] [URL]https://torrentfreak.com/hola-vpn-sells-users-bandwidth-150528/[/URL] [URL]http://uk.businessinsider.com/hola-used-for-botnet-on-chrome-2015-5?r=US[/URL] Their FAQ quickly changed once people realised their bandwidth was being sold off as a way to DDOS websites: [T]http://swimsuit.moe/images/Hola_VPN.jpg[/T]

This is a growing problem with extensions, where they get massive and then some criminal buys them out and starts using them for nefarious purposes. Edit: Of course it would be the luminati.

Does it do this even when it's turned "off" or is it only when active?

Ugh. Uninstalled. I hope it doesn't leave any crap behind.

Fuucckk, I had it disabled for a while but hearing this makes me uneasy.

I only use it for Nuuvem. Still uninstalling it.

is there any alternatives to it because there are still the occasional youtube videos i would like to watch that i can't without it

I use it all the time, dammit. :( It's is so efficient for changing Netflix locations.

[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;47833249]is there any alternatives to it because there are still the occasional youtube videos i would like to watch that i can't without it[/QUOTE] [url]https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/zenmate-security-privacy/fdcgdnkidjaadafnichfpabhfomcebme?hl=en[/url] Just something someone on reddit suggested.

I used it once, looked sketch as fuck and immediately got rid of it.

yeah hola always looked sketchy as fuck but it's just really convenient i've since gotten rid of it though

thanks to infinitechan for pointing this out and getting it in the news [url]https://twitter.com/infinitechan[/url]

this is the only advantage of having a connection that is only 2 mbps - literally nothing goes unnoticed - i would have immediately noticed that my chrome is using up bandwidth for seemingly no reason :v: not if this only ran when you were afk for x minutes though [editline]29th May 2015[/editline] Did they quickly change their website? On [url]http://hola.org/[/url] it clearly says that hola is a p2p program, probably similiar to tor

[QUOTE=GoDong-DK;47833200]Does it do this even when it's turned "off" or is it only when active?[/QUOTE] apparently when turned off too [img]http://rp.braxnet.org/scr/2015-05-24_19-00-56_63.png[/img]

[QUOTE=Omali;47833145]This is a growing problem with extensions, where they get massive and then some criminal buys them out and starts using them for nefarious purposes. Edit: Of course it would be the luminati.[/QUOTE] Best Korea seems to be inmune to reptilians from space [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/McmrUMM.png[/IMG]

This is funny knowing how Google has gone to extreme lengths to stop Chrome users from using plugins outside of the Chrome store under the pretense of user safety, then they fuck it up.

If anyone is needing something like this for Netflix or whatever, and wants to avoid addons because of this, give a read through this: [url]https://www.webdigi.co.uk/blog/2015/how-to-setup-your-own-private-secure-free-vpn-on-the-amazon-aws-cloud-in-10-minutes/[/url] Basically tells you how to set up a VPN using Amazon AWS in a way that anyone can understand, and it's free for a year. That's what I've done. It's annoying how many of these useful extensions seem to go corrupt.

-snip-

wait is that what's actually happening fucking media did it again jesus christ

[QUOTE=Giraffen93;47833503]apparently when turned off too [img]http://rp.braxnet.org/scr/2015-05-24_19-00-56_63.png[/img][/QUOTE] how is it using resources even when turned off? is there a way to fully remove it from the computer?

God damn it, using Hola right now. Recommended it to so many people.

[QUOTE=TheHydra;47833765]how is it using resources even when turned off? is there a way to fully remove it from the computer?[/QUOTE] I would also like to know. The articles are rather vague as to it's specific function. Does it only work when activated or when on and off. Does it run in the background or install any background process's. Will uninstalling it leave remnants behind that still function etc.

But chrome already is a botnet! /s

[QUOTE=Jamie1992GSC;47833815]I would also like to know. The articles are rather vague as to it's specific function. Does it only work when activated or when on and off. Does it run in the background or install any background process's. Will uninstalling it leave remnants behind that still function etc.[/QUOTE] i also used the phone version, so any info on that front would be helpful as well

What's so bad about this? Legit asking.

[QUOTE=Scot;47833875]What's so bad about this? Legit asking.[/QUOTE] They're using your bandwidth that you pay for to in turn make more money for themselves??

Apparently this has been going on for the past 3-4 days according to 8chn's twitter. God knows how long it's actually been going on.

Eh.. I haven't had any problems with it really. At least I haven't noticed anything bad. Not paranoid enough to get rid of it just because of this. (Just like those people freaking out over App Permissions).

[QUOTE=Scot;47833875]What's so bad about this? Legit asking.[/QUOTE] It works like Tor. People can download, spam, or browse illegal material like CP by using your IP.

[QUOTE=BazzBerry;47833905]They're using your bandwidth that you pay for to in turn make more money for themselves??[/QUOTE] They're providing a service for their users so I don't see why it's so shocking that they're making some money off it.