Shopify Removes Apps Behind Suspected Fake Checkout Attacks

By Amara Osei

ADWEEK reported that Shopify removed affected third-party apps after attackers suspected of using artificial intelligence (AI) injected fake checkout screens, although some apps have since been reinstated.

What did Roman Zipp find?

Last month, German-based software engineer Roman Zipp was buying a mechanical keyboard from a Shopify-powered storefront. He told ADWEEK that his review of the source code uncovered a series of ecommerce cyberattacks.

At checkout, Zipp noticed that the URL (web address) came from a domain “affiliated neither with Shopify nor the merchant.” The code redirected the checkout flow to a fake checkout screen, a substitute page likely meant to fool unsuspecting shoppers into handing over personal information, ADWEEK said.

ADWEEK did not report whether any shopper submitted data, whether payment details were captured or whether a confirmed breach resulted. Its use of “suspected” and “likely” makes the distinction material: the account describes a redirect and an apparent attempt to collect personal information, not proven theft.

Takeaway: The evidence documents an attempted capture of personal information at checkout, not a confirmed breach.

Where did the malicious code enter?

ADWEEK said the code “wasn’t in the Shopify platform itself.” The merchant used a third-party extension (a software add-on) through the Shopify App Store, and that extension contained the redirect code.

ADWEEK described the App Store as a marketplace where sellers find apps that add functionality, including recommendation engines (systems that suggest products) and post-checkout upsell screens (offers shown after checkout). The extension gave the malicious redirect a route into the merchant’s purchase flow without making it part of Shopify’s core platform.

The report did not identify the extension or merchant, quantify the number of affected apps or stores, or explain how the code entered the extension. It also supplied no technical evidence showing how the attackers used AI, leaving the automation claim unverified in the available material.

Takeaway: The reported code sat in a third-party extension rather than Shopify’s core platform.

What changed after Shopify acted?

ADWEEK’s key takeaways said Shopify removed the affected apps; some have since been reinstated. The report did not name the apps, date the removals or explain the criteria for restoring any app.

It also did not state whether any reinstated app still contained harmful code or whether merchants replaced the extensions. Those omissions prevent a firm conclusion about the current security status of the restored apps.

The known response therefore includes both removal and subsequent reinstatement for some apps. That is more precise than saying Shopify permanently blocked every implicated app.

Takeaway: Shopify acted on affected apps, but the available facts do not establish why some returned.

How much trust did agency clients retain?

ADWEEK reported that agency clients (companies that retain agencies) largely retained trust in Shopify’s platform and response despite the attacks. This is the report’s clearest commercial judgment and the strongest indication that the incident did not prompt those clients to abandon the platform.

The evidence behind that judgment remains thin. ADWEEK named no agencies, client counts or sectors, and disclosed no survey method, sample size or timing. The finding therefore applies only to the agencies covered; it does not measure trust among every Shopify merchant, individual shopper or security specialist.

The client finding also measures confidence, not technical security. Agencies can retain trust in Shopify’s core platform while treating third-party app security as a separate risk.

Takeaway: Client confidence remained largely intact, although the report gives agencies or researchers no way to measure it.

What must be disclosed next?

A firm account of the incident needs the names of affected apps, a count of affected merchants and stores, confirmation of whether personal or payment data reached the attackers, and an explanation for each removal and reinstatement. Independent technical analysis would also be needed before treating AI assistance as established.

Takeaway: Without disclosure of the apps, scope, data-loss status and reinstatement criteria, agency clients’ continued trust remains a positive but unquantified signal, not proof that Shopify’s app ecosystem is secure.