To encourage malicious downloads through adverts in Google search results, hackers are creating bogus websites for well-known free and open-source software; recent surveys confirm this.
During the weekend, there were reports of hacks. In one such incident, there was a report of a hack on a bogus executable for the OBS, Open Broadcaster Software live streaming and video recording software downloaded through a Google ad as part of search results.
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Similar attacks have happened in the previous year as well. Over 200 typosquatting domains for more than two dozen firms were used in a significant attempt to deceive users, according to a study from BleepingComputer in October of last year.
Security researchers Germán Fernández have discovered more URLs offering harmful downloads masquerading as free and open-source software, proving that cybercriminals are increasingly frequently attracting people through sponsored results on Google searches.
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Cyber criminals are rising and regularly luring users through sponsored results on Google search, according to security experts Germán Fernández, who have found more URLs providing malicious downloads disguising themselves as free and open-source software.
“We have robust policies prohibiting ads that attempt to circumvent our enforcement by disguising the advertiser’s identity and impersonating other brands, and we enforce them vigorously. We reviewed the ads in question and have removed them,” says Google.