Watch out - that Amazon or Microsoft ad could just be malware

Date:
Mon, 29 May 2023 14:16:07 +0000

Description:
Just because an ad is on Google, it doesn't mean it's clean - hackers can abuse the platform to deliver malware.

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Advertising fraud on trusted internet platforms such as Google is on the rise again, according to a new report from Malwarebytes.

In a blog post , Jrme Segura, Senior Threat researcher at the company explained how criminals abuse legitimate advertising services to get
malicious links in front of unsuspecting victims.

As it turns out, the criminals are able to buy ad space on Google Ads, for example, which ensures that their ad will show up at the very top of Googles Search Engine Results Pages (SERP). Fake ads

The scammers would then create a fake ad for a popular company with millions of monthly searches, such as Amazon, for example.

Given that people usually click on whatever link shows up at the top of the SERPs, the researcher claims, having a malicious link appear there is very dangerous.

These ads, which impersonate major brands, are done in a way that bypasses Googles filtering mechanisms and are even able to display legitimate links.
In a screenshot showing one such example, the legitimate Amazon link is clearly visible, even though thats not the website the victim ends up visiting, should they click the ad. Read more

Tackling malicious domains and typosquatting

This huge typosquatting campaign is being used to run tech support scams

These are the best identity theft protection solutions today

The victims that end up clicking the ad are usually shown a fake antivirus scan claiming their computer has a virus and needs to be cleaned with the
help of a professional. The professional would then usually trick the victim into downloading remote desktop solutions, which opens the doors for
countless other malware . In other instances, the victims would be shown a landing page mimicking the login prompt for popular services such as Amazon, Microsoft, or Google.

Tackling the issue isnt that straightforward, the researcher also says, describing malvertising as a complex issue that generates billions of daily
ad impressions. Still, the best way forward is for businesses to educate
their employees and users about malvertising.

Still, we can't blame them for clicking on paid ads that are supposedly verified as trusted, he concludes. These are the best firewalls



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/watch-out-that-amazon-or-microsoft-ad-could-jus t-be-malware


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