SEO Used In Massive Black Hat Redirect Malware Campaign
Using SEO to drive visitors to spam sites is a big no-no. But there are ways to protect yourself. In this article we will look at some of the tactics that spammers use to drive visitors to their sites and the best ways to avoid them.
Google AdSense
During a recent analysis of a large number of sites, Sucuri found that Google AdSense is not immune to malware and phishing attacks. The company has seen attacks on about 15,000 websites. They found that the most common attack vector was WordPress.
This campaign used a clever ad placement strategy to generate revenue for its creators. Another part of the project involved a browser key to deliver ads to visitors. Another part involved a clever connection between the botnet and the website operated by the hacker. Botnet in particular generates monthly income for criminals. The campaign also used the most expensive (and least effective) form of advertising on the market – image-based advertising.
WordPress redirects to spam Q&A sites
Thousands of WordPress websites have been compromised by a malicious black hat malware campaign. This campaign redirects visitors to the wrong Q&A portals. It increases the popularity of these fake sites and improves their ranking in search engines.
This campaign uses the same website builder tools and templates as other spammy sites. It also includes a clickbait feature, which tricks users into inserting a hidden link beneath a clickable piece of content. It also uses tens of thousands of sites to mimic hundreds of famous people.
This campaign uses similar techniques to trick visitors, such as using the same color font for the background and using CSS to place the text off-screen. It also uses Clickjacking technique to redirect users to another page.
Typosquatting sites trick visitors into downloading malware
Basically, typosquatting sites are malicious websites that pretend to be a legitimate name or site. These fake websites look so genuine that even ordinary visitors can be fooled. These malicious websites install malware and steal credit cards and other personal information.
Typosquatting sites are used to push malware and phishing sites. If you suspect you have been a victim of typosquatting, you should contact your IT department. Your end users should not click on links in phishing emails or on unknown email attachments. You can also install antivirus software to protect your computer from adware and malware.
Typosquatting is illegal in many countries. However, large companies must ban typosquatting sites. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) can help you file a takedown request.
Microsoft Defender Antivirus uses SEO poison
Earlier this month, Microsoft Defender Antivirus saw a major malware campaign. The campaign infected around 15,000 websites. It is likely that this campaign was designed to increase site authority and increase search engine rankings.
The malware used in this campaign was written in Golang, a different language that is difficult to analyze. It was also written using a Python package called YARI. It also uses backdoor capabilities. It is designed to steal credentials from web browsers.
This campaign used Google Ads to redirect users to a dangerous download site. The download site is designed to distribute the BATLOADER malware. It also received several PDF documents that were part of the campaign.
Embedded keywords and encrypted text in a large malware distribution campaign is no small feat. During a recent audit, Sucuri found that more than 2,300 sites were redirecting visitors to various questionable portals. The Sucuri SiteCheck scanner found that more than a third of spam detections were of the malicious type. Website users may refer visitors to other websites. Regardless of the tactics used by opportunists, the sheer number of compromised websites shows the potential for damage.
The good news is that most of the affected sites were powered by WordPress. While these sites were targeted for their SEO capabilities mentioned above, the malware may be able to exploit some older versions of IIS that are vulnerable to attack.
Javascript engine for Google Chrome V8
Last year, Google added several zero-day vulnerabilities to the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine. The latest patch includes eight fixes to address security issues.
The V8 JavaScript engine is designed to improve JavaScript performance in Google Chrome. The engine, derived from the Chromium desktop, integrates JavaScript into machine code at runtime, allowing for faster performance. The engine also supports JavaScript execution without rendering active memory, a feature that helps reduce the attack surface.
The engine also includes a just-in-time compiler (JIT), a type of programming language that optimizes code for speed. In addition, it includes a registration-based translation, similar to that used in the HotSpot browser.
Hackers use search engine optimization (SEO) to carry out a massive black hat campaign that damages around 15,000 websites. The code redirects visitors to fake Q&A discussions
forums.
Ben Martin, a security analyst at Sucuri, who first saw the attacks, reports that each compromised site contains about 20,000 files used as part of a spam campaign.
Most websites are on WordPress.
“It’s a great black hat SEO tactic that we haven’t seen used in massive spamming campaigns,” Martin wrote in the post.
“However, its effect is questionable as Google will be getting a lot of ‘clicks’ on search results without the actual search being done.”
this black hat
The goal of SEO, in theory, is to generate enough indexed pages to increase the authority of fake Q&A sites and rank better in search engines.
“The benefits from Google AdSense have been enormous
