Malvertising on the rise
The popularity of Google Chrome has also made it an easy target for malicious advertisements—or what is known as "malvertising." As more people use this browser, cybercriminals find new ways of putting backdoor Trojans, malware, adware, and viruses into ads displayed on Chrome's web pages. This is especially true for pop-up advertisements or links to malicious websites disguised as legitimate URLs. If users click these ads or visit these sites, they could risk infecting their computers with harmful software designed to steal information or cause other harm.To protect Chrome users from malvertising, Google has been taking down ads and websites that serve these dangerous advertisements and links. The company is also working with security firms like Zscaler and Symantec to block malicious ads and remove malware from chrome..
Targeting Chromium
Google Chrome isn't the only target for cybercriminals, however. According to ZDNet, "Cybercriminals are now targeting users of the Chromium browser—the open-source version used by Google Chrome." The two browsers look and feel very similar, meaning that a malicious plugin or add-on could cause real damage if a user doesn't know the difference between Chrome and Chromium.Just last year, for example, a security company identified an extension that had been downloaded over 50,000 times from the Chrome Web Store. It turned out to be malware designed to steal private information and inject ads into users' browsers. The good news is that Google caught this before it could cause any significant damage.
A growing problem
There was a time when malvertising didn't need to be an issue for computer users. Previously, the only people who could afford enough bandwidth to place malicious ads on websites were criminals operating in third-world countries with corrupt law enforcement agencies. However, with the rise of profitable malware campaigns and the popularity of large-scale DDoS attacks, even small groups of criminals can now purchase the bandwidth needed to distribute malware or ads with malicious URLs.As long as there is money to be made, cybercriminals will continue to develop harmful software designed to take advantage of computer users. For this reason, it's essential for all Chrome users to learn about malvertising and adware—so they can protect themselves against these attacks.
How scams like malvertising work
Advertisements are distributed through ad networks that aren't all properly monitored. It will appear on a legitimate site without the ad network owners knowing what's going on. This means that cybercriminals can buy ads for their malicious website or advertisement. When users visit the affected area or click these ads, their browsers could be infected with malware designed to steal information or cause other harm.Why you should care about malvertising
The biggest concerns for Chrome users are the loss of sensitive data and the danger of having a computer virus. If cybercriminals get ahold of your bank login information through an ad, they could drain your bank account. And if you end up with a computer virus, it can negatively impact the performance of your machine and even cause data loss (which could result in losing important documents or files).Unfortunately, malvertising doesn't always announce itself—meaning that users could click on what they think is a legitimate ad for something like an eBay sale or a coupon, only to find out later that they've been scammed. In some situations, scam ads can even cause pop-up advertisements of their own—essentially causing the same issue as clicking on one. As technology advances, the problem of malvertising will only worsen. Cybercriminals will continue to develop malware and other malicious software designed to take advantage of computer users until it becomes too expensive for them.
If you want some protection against these attacks on your Chrome browser, make sure you know what malvertising is—and which browsers are most at risk from this form of cybercrime. The good news? Google has been working hard lately with security companies like Zscaler and Symantec to block dangerous ads before they can cause any harm. Which method(s) have you used as a way to protect yourself or others from the dangers of malvertising? Let us know! We're always looking for new ways to help our readers stay informed and safe online.
I agree with ads, which is an excellent way of saying that I click on them occasionally. That being said, the threat of malware isn't going away anytime soon. Malvertising was just one example of how attackers have taken advantage of advertising networks to spread malicious software without getting caught.