Switched has a new home! Huffpost Tech.

Click here to visit the new home of Switched!

Hot on HuffPost Tech:

See More Stories
AOL Tech

Ads Used to Spread Malware on Reputable Sites

by Terrence O'Brien on June 22, 2009 at 06:45 AM

Advertisements Used to Spread Malware on Reputable Sites
Most Web sites don't sell ad space directly to marketers. Instead, major sites like FoxNews.com, IGN.com, and MLB.com sell their ad space to ad networks, which then independently sell to other companies. But if an ad network fails to find an advertiser, it will often resell the spot on the Web site to another ad network, which may then turn around and place the ad space for sale on an ad exchange site, where it will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

With so many links in the chain, it has become harder and harder for Web sites to police the advertisements being hosted. As a result, vulnerabilities are more and more likely. All it takes for hell to break loose is one careless party to let through an ad that leads to an infected site.

Digital Spy, a British entertainment news Web site, was the victim of such carelessness in May. As a result of the flub, visitors to its forums were infected with a virus that was loaded onto their PCs by an advertisement. Though viruses and malware can be directly downloaded through an advertisement, many avoid detection by simply leading surfers to sites designed to steal passwords and other data.

Publishers and ad networks have stepped up their security measures recently after a number of high-profile sites (like the aforementioned Fox News and MLB.com) were the targets of such malicious ads. Microsoft, Google, and AOL (who operate some of the Web's largest ad networks) are working with security firms and have instituted a number of safeguards against viruses and malicious software. Still, there is no guarantee that they'll be able to catch every malicious ad. [From: Total Telecom]

Tags: ads, advertising, malware, security, virus

Comments

1

Add your comments

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular