Popular Youtube Chrome Extension ‘Magic Actions for YouTube’ has turned into malware! Remove and report if you have it installed

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I've been randomly getting popups from this extension pointing me to malicious websites about installing a "virus scanner" for my PC.

After some research, it seems like the developer has gone bat-shit scummy and are faking positive reviews while writing 1 star reviews for competing extensions. Another redditor confirmed this https://www.reddit.com/r/chrome/comments/7mjku9/can_we_talk_about_magic_actions_for_youtube/

If you have it installed you should REMOVE and don't forget to REPORT

This is the extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/magic-actions-for-youtube/abjcfabbhafbcdfjoecdgepllmpfceif?hl=en

8 thoughts on “Popular Youtube Chrome Extension ‘Magic Actions for YouTube’ has turned into malware! Remove and report if you have it installed”

  1. Hi there,

    **Use the report abuse link \(on that Chrome extension\). That report this direct** **to the Chrome web store team.**

    That developer is know for **manipulating the Chrome web store** with fake reviews and **spying you on each YouTube video** you visited. It is best to report this by clicking on the **abuse** link \(in the Chrome web store\).

    For more information see this big post:

    [https://www.reddit.com/r/chrome/comments/7mjku9/can\_we\_talk\_about\_magic\_actions\_for\_youtube/](https://www.reddit.com/r/chrome/comments/7mjku9/can_we_talk_about_magic_actions_for_youtube/)

    Thanks, Stefan

    [Chrome TC](https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!profile/chrome/APn2wQeRSr_oMdxE_7mEXr4Nzx9IseeKsFM5I_I7c4tulEZedYkyCu6YF1Sht_n4LJXSQ24OpTqX)

    Reply

  2. I would be instantly put off by the ugly graphic design in the preview images, and the fact that none of them are screenshots of the extension in action, on YouTube. It’s even worse than clickbait YouTube thumbnail design.

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  3. I wonder if the developer knows this happened to the extension? Because things do go rogue. I had an app that kept redirecting me to some malware install page and I just emailed the developer directly through the play store. They had no idea and fixed it. Even gave me some free DLC for compensation.

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  4. Damn, 3 million users… It’s always better to be careful when installing extensions, I usually try to use open source alternatives (it doesn’t mean they can’t have something hidden in the code but from my experience FOSS projects are usually less sketchy).

    As for alternatives, I used [Improvedtube](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/improvedtube-for-youtube/bnomihfieiccainjcjblhegjgglakjdd) because I didn’t like Magic Actions, but about a week ago it asked for browsing history permissions and I uninstalled it (I’m reading the reviews and looks like it’s “fixed” so it should be fine now, but we don’t know how it’s going to be in the future). Now I’m using [Iridium](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/iridium/gbjmgndncjkjfcnpfhgidhbgokofegbl), which was recommended by a user here, so far it’s really good and it’s open source. Maybe it doesn’t have as many features as other extensions but it does everything I need.

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  5. Saw the post and uninstalled the extension. I tried out that “Enhancer for YouTube” extension, it’s works pretty well and has other features that the “Magic Actions” extension don’t have. I do recommend on making a report on “Magic Actions”.

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  7. It’s important that everyone reports the extension so it either gets taken down or this message goes away.

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  8. I also have experienced this popup that resembles many scams I’ve encountered in the past.

    I believe I ***might*** know what the problem is in my case.

    1) Developer thinks he/she is helping us out by checking Chrome version —> Not Necessary

    2) I run Chrome in Developer Mode and, most importantly, THE LATEST **BETA VERSION** of Chrome. Therefore, my version of Chrome is at least one or more versions ahead of Magic Actions’ version checker. I suspect the version checker flags anything that’s not the exact same version coded into the extension as “outdated”, and thus, initiates the extremely irritating and suspect popup every time Chrome starts up.

    3) I have not found a solution yet, nor am I certain that’s the problem. Whomever continues commenting that they “know the developer” could perhaps strongly suggest that Magic Actions lose that “feature” immediately before he loses all his user base due to security concerns. Again, Chrome updates itself automatically.

    Reply

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