TL;DRPersistent pop-ups urging you to update Chrome may actually be malware pushed by compromised browser extensions.The issue affects Chromium-based browsers like Chrome, Brave, and Opera, attempting to trick users into running potentially malicious scripts.Identifying and removing suspicious or newly acquired extensions is currently the primary way to stop the pop-ups.We all have our favorite Chrome extensions that make daily web browsing effortless, whether it’s a quick screen snip tool, a right-click unlocker, or a simple tab manager. But what happens when one of those trusty add-ons quietly turns against you? Over the past few days, an increasing number of web users have fallen victim to a frustratingly convincing browser scam that tricks people into downloading harmful malware disguised as routine system updates.The issue manifests as an aggressive pop-up claiming a “Critical Update Required” or “Update available” to keep using your browser. If you click to proceed, instead of a standard browser update, it downloads a suspicious .vbs or .exe script directly to your machine.