Yahoo's Banner Ads may Contain Malicious Code
Category: Bugs / VirusPosted: April 29, 2008 04:59PM
Author: razor
Very recently, search engine giant Yahoo! has been unwittingly exposing visitors to fraudulent banner ads, and other ads that may prompt the user to install malware, says an Internet Security watchdog. When clicked, the malicious ads - some of which pitch women's deodorant products - usually produce a legitimate-looking Windows pop-up, which instructs the user to download and install software that claims to "fix problems" with their computer. Users are also warned that some banner ads may redirect them to websites programmed with attack code, so it's important to keep an eye on the address bar after clicking a link. If the new site's address doesn't line up with the advertisement's claim, users are advised to immediately end their browsing session and run an anti-virus/anti-spyware program to check for system integrity. As Internet advertisement is not strictly regulated, it can be easy for an attack group to pose as a legitimate representative for a product or service. Allegedly, all of Yahoo's services are at risk, so users should be wary if they find themselves redirected to the following sites, which have been identified as suspicious or malevolent:
eur.a1.yimg.com/java.europe.yimg.com/eu/any/yahoonew300×250.swf
ope.yahoo.com/eu/any/yahoonew728×90.swf
track.trackads.net/statsa.php?campaign=yahoo
