funsec mailing list archives

RE: *SPAM* More info on malware-scan.com ads on newspaper Web sites


From: "Larry Seltzer" <Larry () larryseltzer com>
Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2007 20:21:49 -0500

Sorry, BTW, I didn't mean to offend any wife beaters on the list.

Larry Seltzer
eWEEK.com Security Center Editor
http://security.eweek.com/
http://blogs.pcmag.com/securitywatch/
Contributing Editor, PC Magazine
larry.seltzer () ziffdavisenterprise com


-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Seltzer 
Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2007 8:21 PM
To: 'rms () computerbytesman com'; funsec () linuxbox org
Subject: RE: *SPAM* [funsec] More info on malware-scan.com ads on newspaper Web sites

I'm not sure why the ad networks would need to do anything. You'd think, OTOH, that publishers like YNet would drop ads 
that included the redirects, especially since they're taking the user away from the publication. At this point I blame 
Ynet more than the ad network. It's sort of like the womany who refuses to leave the husband who's beating her.

Larry Seltzer
eWEEK.com Security Center Editor
http://security.eweek.com/
http://blogs.pcmag.com/securitywatch/
Contributing Editor, PC Magazine
larry.seltzer () ziffdavisenterprise com


-----Original Message-----
From: funsec-bounces () linuxbox org [mailto:funsec-bounces () linuxbox org] On Behalf Of rms () computerbytesman com
Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2007 8:09 PM
To: funsec () linuxbox org
Subject: RE: *SPAM* [funsec] More info on malware-scan.com ads on newspaper Web sites

Yep, looks like the same sleazebags.  Any idea what the ad networks are doing about this problem?

Richard

I reported on something similar at Ynetnews (see 
http://blogs.pcmag.com/securitywatch/2007/11/and_suddenly_some_strange
_site.php) about a week ago. I wonder if it's the same ad network.

The Ynet attacks persist. They knew about it probably at least 10 days 
ago and I saw it again yesterday, this time in Firefox.

Larry Seltzer
eWEEK.com Security Center Editor
http://security.eweek.com/
http://blogs.pcmag.com/securitywatch/
Contributing Editor, PC Magazine
larry.seltzer () ziffdavisenterprise com

----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------
From: funsec-bounces () linuxbox org [mailto:funsec-bounces () linuxbox org]
On Behalf Of rms () computerbytesman com
Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2007 6:38 PM
To: funsec () linuxbox org
Subject: *SPAM* [funsec] More info on malware-scan.com ads on 
newspaper Web sites


Holy sh**.

Richard


http://www.azstarnet.com/business/209714

Maliciously coded online ad caused Star's Web site problems

By Jack Gillum

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.03.2007

advertisement



A maliciously coded online advertisement was responsible for causing 
problems for Tucson Newspapers' Web sites this week, the company said 
Friday.



The ads, which the company said were purchased with a fraudulent 
credit-card number, directed some Web visitors to sites that could 
have installed harmful software, or "malware."



The problem was reported Wednesday by the Pima County Department of 
Environmental Quality, which advised its employees not to visit the 
Arizona Daily Star Web site over computer-safety concerns. When their 
employees visited the Star's site, anti-virus software alerted them of 
trouble.



The fraudulent ad purchase was discovered Wednesday and the ad was 
removed Thursday, said Susan Hardin, director of online for Tucson 
Newspapers, which is jointly owned by the Arizona Daily Star and 
Tucson Citizen newspapers.



Hardin said the ads in question were bought by a company called 
ForceUp, which could not be reached for comment because a phone number 
for the company at an Idaho area code was disconnected, and an e-mail 
contact form was inaccessible.



Affected users were redirected to a different site and then presented 
with fake virus-scanning software that was itself malicious software.



Hardin recommends that users block access to malwarealarm.com, 
newbieadguide.com, and malware-scan.com, and delete infected files 
from a computer's PC and Windows registry.



Tucson Newspapers previously said that some video advertisements may 
have been the problem. But as of Friday, the company narrowed down the 
problem to the suspect ads, which Hardin said were up in the morning 
hours for the last 10 to 18 days.



"This hasn't happened before, and our people reacted very quickly," 
said Tucson Newspapers President and CEO Mike Jameson. "We'll just 
have to be more vigilant in the future about these things."



The ad, Tucson Newspapers said, circulated to other newspaper sites 
across the country.



â- Contact reporter Jack Gillum at 573-4178 or at jgillum () azstarnet com.



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Fun and Misc security discussion for OT posts.
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Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.

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https://linuxbox.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/funsec
Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.


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