Recently Researchers at security software developer Exploit Prevention Labs have uncovered hard evidence that cybercriminals are using Google AdWords to infect unsuspecting users with malware.
Modus operandi is....
Advertisers pay Google for the sponsored links to appear following specific search queries. Clicking on one of the malicious links, though, takes the user to the real website – but along the way they are unknowingly redirected to www.smarttrack.org, which hosts a Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) exploit that attempts to install a backdoor keylogger.
Exploit Prevention Labs first learned of this new attack vector on April 10 when a user of the company's LinkScanner Pro safe surfing software ran a Google search on the phrase "how to start a business." The top-ranked sponsored search listing appeared to be from AllBusiness.com, a legitimate business, yet the hyperlink actually led to a site that attempted to install a password-stealing keylogger on the user's PC. LinkScanner Pro blocked the threat and automatically reported the discovery back to Exploit
Although Google has terminated this particular offending account, the discovery highlights problems facing all sponsored search vendors -- how to determine the legitimacy of any individual advertiser, and how to determine whether a redirected link is being used legitimately.
Now, Think THOUSAND times before clicking any of the links of Google Adwords, be'cas you don't want to get punched in the FACE.
Visit Exploit Prevention Labs finding here...
