AdSense Fraud Campaign Using Fake URL Shorteners discovered by Sucuri affecting thousands of websites.
AdSense Fraud
Recently, Sucuri researchers discovered a widespread AdSense fraud campaign where hackers used fake URL shorteners to redirect users to hacked websites. This campaign targeted thousands of sites with legitimate AdSense accounts, and the attackers earned money by generating fake AdSense impressions.
The campaign began with the hackers creating fake URL shorteners that were designed to look like legitimate ones. These URL shorteners were then used to redirect users to hacked sites, where the attackers had inserted ads that generated fake AdSense impressions.
The hacked sites were also used to host other types of malicious content, including phishing pages, malware, and other scams. This allowed the attackers to monetize their campaign in multiple ways, making it more difficult to detect and shut down.
Challenges of the Campaign
One of the challenges of this campaign was the use of multiple layers of redirection, which made it difficult to trace the source of the traffic. The attackers used a combination of 301 and 302 redirects, as well as meta refresh tags, to redirect users through multiple sites before finally landing on the hacked site.
According to the Sucuri researchers, the campaign was successful because it targeted legitimate AdSense accounts that had already been approved by Google. This made it easier for the attackers to generate fake AdSense impressions and earn money from the campaign.
How to be safe
To protect against this type of campaign, website owners are advised to be cautious when using URL shorteners and to only use ones that are known to be legitimate. It is also important to regularly monitor AdSense accounts for suspicious activity and to report any suspicious activity to Google.
The researchers note that this type of campaign is likely to continue in the future, as it is a profitable way for attackers to monetize hacked sites. They recommend that website owners take steps to secure their sites, including using strong passwords, keeping software up to date, and regularly monitoring their sites for suspicious activity.
As per Daniel Cid, the CTO of Sucuri,
"Malware has become more complex and dangerous. We have seen that they are not just used for cybercrime but also for fraud, and now for AdSense fraud. The attackers are looking for new and creative ways to make money from their campaigns, and this type of AdSense fraud campaign is a perfect example of that."
Conclusion
This campaign highlights the importance of having strong cybersecurity measures in place to protect against a wide range of threats. It is essential for website owners to stay up to date on the latest threats and vulnerabilities and to take steps to secure their sites and data. With the right technology and expertise, it is possible to protect against even the most sophisticated cyber threats.
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