funsec mailing list archives

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


From: "Larry Seltzer" <Larry () larryseltzer com>
Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2007 08:10:53 -0500

Let me be more general here. I'm writing on this again and if you can give me references to other examples I'd 
appreciate it

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: Sunday, November 11, 2007 8:00 AM
To: 'rms () computerbytesman com'; 'funsec () linuxbox org'
Subject: RE: [funsec] More info on malware-scan.com ads on newspaper Web sites

(resending without the "*SPAM*" that I think my spamassassin put into the subject line.)

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: Sunday, November 11, 2007 7:59 AM
To: 'rms () computerbytesman com'; funsec () linuxbox org
Subject: RE: *SPAM* [funsec] More info on malware-scan.com ads on newspaper Web sites

You mentioned the Herald. There was a malware ad on them? I don't see a reference

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 8:44 PM
To: funsec () linuxbox org
Subject: RE: *SPAM* [funsec] More info on malware-scan.com ads on newspaper Web sites

At the Boston Herald, the Russian malware ad seemed to come from a Flash ad which was originated from advertising.com, 
an ad network, and not the Herald themselves.  I will be checking with advertising.com to see what they know.

Richard


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


_______________________________________________
Fun and Misc security discussion for OT posts.
https://linuxbox.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/funsec
Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.

_______________________________________________
Fun and Misc security discussion for OT posts.
https://linuxbox.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/funsec
Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.


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