Malvertising
How often do you see an ad for just what you were looking for and click on it? This happens incredibly often and we all just assume it is a genuine ad. However, this is just what scammers are counting on.
‘Malvertising’ or malicious advertising is where scammers use online ads to trick you into downloading malware (malicious software) and thus sharing your sensitive information such as passwords, bank details or customer information.
As with all scams currently, these attacks are becoming more and more sophisticated, and they are increasing the threat to businesses of all sizes. These scams are multifaceted, just because you don’t click on them doesn’t necessarily mean that you are safe, if your browser is out of date or your anti-virus protection isn’t working, just loading the ads can cause your device to be compromised.
Malvertising comes in many forms, the most common ones are;
- Fake Installer Malvertising
- Scam Malvertising
- Drive-by Download Malvertising
Fake installer malvertising often uses ads that lead you to websites that look familiar. Scammers clone websites of brands that you trust and you then download software that you think is legit but in reality you are downloading malware onto your device.
Scam malvertising is where an ad claims that your computer is infected and urges you to call for support. Once you ring the number the scammers will convince you to install software that gives them control of your system and they then charge you to ‘fix’ the fake issue.
Drive-by download malvertising is where ads infect your computer without you clicking on anything. This is they type of scam mentioned before that exploits outdated browsers.
Ensuring you and your staff recognise these scams is the first step to staying safe. If you see an ad claiming you have been hacked or that you need to act fast, stop and think – is this your IT company? Does this company actually know anything about your computer?
Furthermore, double checking the links on ads before you click them can help you massively. If the link isn’t sending you to the domain you expect then steer clear. Also ensure that all of the devices on your network are running the latest versions of browsers. Updates patch security issues and vulnerabilities that these malvertising scams like to exploit.
Next time you see an ad that looks tempting double check and if you see one that feels wrong, trust your gut and steer clear!
If you would like any help, advice or training on all types of scams, get in touch with us. We would love to help.