: Malicious Chrome extensions and "theme" tools have been used to hijack over 500,000 VK accounts, manipulating settings and subscribing users to attacker-controlled groups.

: Early reports by Securelist (Kaspersky) detailed how apps masquerading as useful VK tools (like music players or vote hacks) contained code designed to steal login credentials.

While there is no single academic "paper" specifically titled after that exact search phrase, there are several cybersecurity research reports and papers that analyze the malware and scam campaigns associated with "free VK votes" ( VK golosa ) and similar tools from that era.

If you are looking for formal analysis of the risks or the ecosystem of VK-related scams, these sources are highly relevant:

: An in-depth look at how "unreliable software" (including music and vote tools) facilitates large-scale theft of personal data.

: While focused on censorship, this paper provides critical context on the safety and privacy risks inherent in the VK ecosystem. An Analysis of In-Platform Censorship on Russia's VKontakte

: A ResearchGate paper from 2020 that discusses the "VK-scraper" tool and how malicious accounts (often created via these fake software downloads) are identified by the platform.

: This 2026 report details a long-running campaign where extensions offered customization but actually hijacked half a million accounts.

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