The FBI is warning the public that cyber criminals are using search engine advertisement services to impersonate brands and direct users to malicious sites that host ransomware and steal login credentials and other financial information.
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Cyber criminals purchase advertisements that appear within internet search results using a domain that is similar to an actual business or service. When a user searches for that business or service, these advertisements appear at the very top of search results with minimum distinction between an advertisement and an actual search result. These advertisements link to a webpage that looks identical to the impersonated business’s official webpage.
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The FBI recommends individuals take the following precautions:
- Before clicking on an advertisement, check the URL to make sure the site is authentic. A malicious domain name may be similar to the intended URL but with typos or a misplaced letter.
- Rather than search for a business or financial institution, type the business’s URL into an internet browser’s address bar to access the official website directly.
- Use an ad blocking extension when performing internet searches. Most internet browsers allow a user to add extensions, including extensions that block advertisements. These ad blockers can be turned on and off within a browser to permit advertisements on certain websites while blocking advertisements on others.
The FBI recommends businesses take the following precautions:
- Use domain protection services to notify businesses when similar domains are registered to prevent domain spoofing.
- Educate users about spoofed websites and the importance of confirming destination URLs are correct.
- Educate users about where to find legitimate downloads for programs provided by the business.
For Firefox you have uBlock Origin or NoScript / Disconnect / Facebook Container / Privacy Badger / Ghostery / Super Agent / LocalCDN – you can run them all at once, but will have to sometimes whitelist certain sites just to get them to work. It’s a bit of trouble but internet will look much better being mainly ad free.
Robin Edgar
Organisational Structures | Technology and Science | Military, IT and Lifestyle consultancy | Social, Broadcast & Cross Media | Flying aircraft