Basics of Cybersecurity — 3
Malvertising refers to the use of malicious or harmful ads on websites. These ads often contain hidden scripts that might be able to infect a user’s computer with malware, steal sensitive information, or redirect the user to phishing sites.
The ads spread through such online advertising networks can be delivered through display ads, pop-ups, or other forms of online advertising. Now researchers are claiming that criminals are excelling now at finding the latest techniques to counter Google’s filtering. As soon as Google devises a way to block them, criminal hackers are figuring out new ways to circumvent those protections.
You might ask, so what? Well, just some of the side effects of malvertising are:
- Loss or theft of sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial information.
- Unwanted redirects to phishing or scam sites that can trick the user into revealing sensitive information.
- Slowing down or crashing of the user’s device due to the heavy load of malware or unwanted software.
- Loss of privacy and personal information due to tracking and data collection by malicious actors.
So, be very careful of software that you directly download searching from Google. Criminal hackers are spreading malware through Google now. Whether you use Tor or directly search & find such software, you will still be at risk.
At the moment, malvertisers have gained the upper hand over Google’s considerable might. Until Google regains its footing, people should be extremely cautious when searching Google, and likely other search sites, particularly for software downloads.
