Grave implications for bitcoin? kryptokit chrome extension removed by Google

[greenman-23]

Whilst Googles decision to remove the chrome extension kryptokit (http://www.coindesk.com/secure-wallet-extension-kryptokit-disappears-chrome-browsers/) from the chrome store simultaneously and automatically removing the extension and the wallet contents from browsers that had it installed affected few (of which I am one); the act doesn't help promote bitcoins....

Kryptokit was touted as a secure and easy browser extension for holding and making bitcoin payments.

As I recently purchased an acer C7 chromebook I decided to test out the wallet and after I was satisfied with it transferred 2.153 bitcoins ($1000 dollars) whilst I reinstalled by Linux OS on my main PC...

I thought it was safe...

However this morning I discovered that Google had removed the extension and thus its contents.. WTF (excuse the expletive but I think appropriate given the sum involved!)

My wallet contents have not gone because I was hacked, google was hacked or kryptokit was hacked.

My wallet contents have gone because Google decided to remove the app. An act that was done without warning or opportunity to remove the funds...

Whilst that may be my problem it raises a whole lot of issues regarding the security of bitcoins when a company like google can at a whim destroy thousands of wallets and the access to their contents..

if this was a bitcoin economy then google just crashed it

regards

greenman-23 (2.153 bitcoins the poorer thanks to Google)

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[de3mka]

I never used kryptokit before but wasn't there an option to backup your private key?  And how come the extention got unistalled without your confirmation? I use firefox and what I know an extension can stop functioning with a forced browser update, but not completely removed... there should be at least personal data left on your machine... seems really weird to me.

[eldentyrell]

if this was a bitcoin economy then google just crashed it

No, if google crashed anything it was the "app" economy.

Stop outsourcing the administration of your computer, especially to organizations (like google) that you aren't even paying money to.

[notthematrix]

Fud getting more desparate when btc is rising again? 

[bryant.coleman]

I think that this is a one-off incident. There are hundreds of Bitcoin-related extensions available for integration with Chrome. Perhaps this particular extension was affected by bugs or something malicious.

[CompNsci]

Checkout instructions at http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/260c87/emergency_announcement_for_kryptokit_users/

The final step recommended may still work to recover your coins.

[FeedbackLoop]

Checkout instructions at http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/260c87/emergency_announcement_for_kryptokit_users/

The final step recommended may still work to recover your coins.

Seems like google reinstated the extension. Are people getting access to their wallet.dat now that it is back again? From reddit it seems implied that they should but not clear. I never heard about this extension but sounds like a very interesting subject.

[Bit_Happy]

I never used kryptokit before but wasn't there an option to backup your private key?  And how come the extention got unistalled without your confirmation? I use firefox and what I know an extension can stop functioning with a forced browser update, but not completely removed... there should be at least personal data left on your machine... seems really weird to me.

Yes.
@greenman-23: I'm 99% certain you can find that wallet on your computer.
If incorrect, then sorry, but your BTC probably is not lost. 

[escrow.ms]

Umm? I  installed it in my chrome right after someone posted about it in another thread and it's working fine.

[zeroday]

Google just ended up yet another authoritar datamining megacorporation. Stop using google products and move to open source solutions.

[zoinky]

Google just ended up yet another authoritar datamining megacorporation. Stop using google products and move to open source solutions.

Actually it is back up now and both the KyptoKit dev team and the Chrome dev team responded promptly on reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/262kye/chrome_team_here_heres_what_happened_with/

[freedomno1]

Google just ended up yet another authoritar datamining megacorporation. Stop using google products and move to open source solutions.

Actually it is back up now and both the KyptoKit dev team and the Chrome dev team responded promptly on reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/262kye/chrome_team_here_heres_what_happened_with/

From that reddit post also a good point regarding the problems with extensions and people trying to break systems.
Although the google dev saying they are a Bitcoin enthusiast did pique my curiosity. (Hmm maybe that's why the price jumped love chasing rabbits lol)


•A malware developer hoping to steal bitcoin keys copied the kryptokit extension codebase in order to build their own malicious extension.


•The pipelines that we use to detect malware flagged the real kryptokit extension as being nearly identical since the vast majority of the effective code and assets were the same, causing the extension to be blacklisted.


•We noticed the conversation on /r/bitcoin (many of us are enthusiasts, too!) and realized what had taken place. The krypto-kit extension was restored and re-enabled on users machines.


•No data was removed from user machines at any point.

[FeedbackLoop]

Google just ended up yet another authoritar datamining megacorporation. Stop using google products and move to open source solutions.

Actually it is back up now and both the KyptoKit dev team and the Chrome dev team responded promptly on reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/262kye/chrome_team_here_heres_what_happened_with/

From that reddit post also a good point regarding the problems with extensions and people trying to break systems.
Although the google dev saying they are a Bitcoin enthusiast did pique my curiosity. (Hmm maybe that's why the price jumped love chasing rabbits lol)


•A malware developer hoping to steal bitcoin keys copied the kryptokit extension codebase in order to build their own malicious extension.


•The pipelines that we use to detect malware flagged the real kryptokit extension as being nearly identical since the vast majority of the effective code and assets were the same, causing the extension to be blacklisted.


•We noticed the conversation on /r/bitcoin (many of us are enthusiasts, too!) and realized what had taken place. The krypto-kit extension was restored and re-enabled on users machines.


•No data was removed from user machines at any point.

Wow! Really nice and prompt response from Google's people even reaching out in Reddit! Despite my healthy distrust of huge centralised corps, Google sure scored here from having a culture that allows this to happen. Imagine Apple, Yahoo or whatever employees fixing something this fast and reaching out in this way...

 

[MyPotPlantDied]

I was also most impressed with Google's unbelievably swift response to this issue. Way to go Google!

[Bitcopia]

Google just ended up yet another authoritar datamining megacorporation. Stop using google products and move to open source solutions.

Actually it is back up now and both the KyptoKit dev team and the Chrome dev team responded promptly on reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/262kye/chrome_team_here_heres_what_happened_with/

From that reddit post also a good point regarding the problems with extensions and people trying to break systems.
Although the google dev saying they are a Bitcoin enthusiast did pique my curiosity. (Hmm maybe that's why the price jumped love chasing rabbits lol)


•A malware developer hoping to steal bitcoin keys copied the kryptokit extension codebase in order to build their own malicious extension.


•The pipelines that we use to detect malware flagged the real kryptokit extension as being nearly identical since the vast majority of the effective code and assets were the same, causing the extension to be blacklisted.


•We noticed the conversation on /r/bitcoin (many of us are enthusiasts, too!) and realized what had taken place. The krypto-kit extension was restored and re-enabled on users machines.


•No data was removed from user machines at any point.

Wow! Really nice and prompt response from Google's people even reaching out in Reddit! Despite my healthy distrust of huge centralised corps, Google sure scored here from having a culture that allows this to happen. Imagine Apple, Yahoo or whatever employees fixing something this fast and reaching out in this way...

 

Google is the multi-billion dollar corporation that I believe will do the most good for the world, starting with google fiber and unfettered access to the internet. Instead of being petty and trying to scrape a few extra dollars out of consumers by moving to squander net neutrality, their interest lies in creating effortless and widespread internet availability because they have faith in their products and want them to be accessible by everyone.