[pchelpers] Re: News: Google Ads hacked by Trojan software

This very scenario just happened to me moments after I finished reading 
this article.  Unfortunately the site I was visiting was my own website 
(I have a few google ads on it).  Hope they get this sorted out soon.


Susan

John Durham wrote:
> Frankfurt, Dec 20: Advertisements placed by Google in Web pages are
> being hijacked by so-called trojan software that replaces the intended
> text with ads from a different provider, Romanian antivirus company
> BitDefender says. 
>
> The trojan redirects queries meant to be sent to Google servers to a
> rogue server, which displays ads from a third party instead of ads from
> Google, BitDefender said in a statement. 
>
> Google said, “We have cancelled customer accounts that display ads
> redirecting users to malicious sites or that advertise a product
> violating our software principles.” 
>
> “We actively work to detect and remove sites that serve malware in both
> our ad network and in our search results. We have manual and automated
> processes in place to detect and enforce these policies.” 
>
> The trojan, named after the mythic Trojan Horse because of its ability
> to enter computer systems undetected, attacks Google’s AdSense service,
> which targets advertisements to match Web page content. 
>
> “This is a serious situation that damages users and Webmasters alike,”
> said BitDefender virus analyst Attila Balazs. 
>
> “Users are affected because the advertisements and the linked sites may
> contain malicious code,” he said. “Webmasters are affected because the
> trojan takes away viewers and thus a possible money source from their
> Websites.” 
>
> BitDefender on its website (www.bitdefender.com) describes the trojan,
> which it identifies as Trojan.Qhost.WU, as spreading at a “low” level
> and causing “medium” damage. 
>
> Bureau Report
>
> Sourced from:
> http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=414316&ssid=29&ssname=Net%
> 20News&sid=env&sname=
>   


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