Google removes The Great Suspender Chrome extension due to malware

Google has removed the Chrome extension The Great Suspender from the Chrome web store after it received suspected rogue functions with an update. The extension had over two million downloads and allowed users to freeze tabs to save memory usage.

User brands via Twitter and Reddit noted that their tabs were closed and they were notified that the extension has been disabled due to malware. The extension’s page in Chrome’s web store has also been taken offline. Google itself does not explain how to take the extension offline. Users whose tabs are closed can retrieve them through Chrome’s history. For that, users need to search for The Great Suspenders extension id klbibkeccnjlkjkiokjodocebajanakg, with the lost url at the end of each search result.

The extension’s takedown follows multiple warnings from users and media, including TheMageKing via Github. The user states that the previous administrator of The Great Suspender sold the extension to an unknown party. With update 7.1.8, the extension could covertly track the user and perform ‘fraudulent acts’, according to TheMageKing. The extension could theoretically inject ads, block pages and force the user to other sites with that update, the Github user says.

The Great Suspender allowed users to make tabs inactive after a certain amount of time so that those tabs use less computer memory. According to Windows Central, the extension was already taken offline from the Edge browser at the end of November.

Image via Reddit user JustinGolden21