03-11-2018 , 02:18 AM
https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/...ack-691910 Pornhub users warned over 'cyber attack' that could infect devices with malware
It's affected millions of users apparently
ByJames RodgerSam DimmerDigital Development Editor
14:30, 10 MAR 2018UPDATED14:55, 10 MAR 2018 Potentially millions of visitors to adult website Pornhub could have been infected with malware, experts say.
Cyber security firm Proofpoint say a major attack has been uncovered where fake adverts for web browser updates were sent out.
They say the attack has been going on for more than a year with victims in many places, including the UK
It's since been shut down by Pornhub, the Coventry Telegraph reports .
The hack was carried out by a group known as KovCoreG, Proofpoint said, who hoped to infect users with an ad fraud malware known as Kovter.
This type of malicious software is traditionally used as a form of online advertising fraud to generate money through clicks on fake adverts.
In some cases a "clickbot" is installed which then requests and interacts with random adverts online.
In the case of Pornhub, Proofpoint said users were shown fake adverts urging them to click to download a new version or Flash update to their web browser - but would instead infect their computers.
Millions of users may have a malware problem
Pornhub has not commented on the incident.
Proofpoint warned that this technique of tricking users into clicking on fake adverts and infecting themselves was effective, and had the potential to reach "millions of web surfers" if used elsewhere.
"While the payload in this case is ad fraud malware, it could just as easily have been ransomware, an information stealer, or any other malware," the company said.
"Regardless, threat actors are following the money and looking to more effective combinations of social engineering, targeting, and pre-filtering to infect new victims at scale."
This story was first published in October 2017
It's affected millions of users apparently
ByJames RodgerSam DimmerDigital Development Editor
14:30, 10 MAR 2018UPDATED14:55, 10 MAR 2018 Potentially millions of visitors to adult website Pornhub could have been infected with malware, experts say.
Cyber security firm Proofpoint say a major attack has been uncovered where fake adverts for web browser updates were sent out.
They say the attack has been going on for more than a year with victims in many places, including the UK
It's since been shut down by Pornhub, the Coventry Telegraph reports .
The hack was carried out by a group known as KovCoreG, Proofpoint said, who hoped to infect users with an ad fraud malware known as Kovter.
This type of malicious software is traditionally used as a form of online advertising fraud to generate money through clicks on fake adverts.
In some cases a "clickbot" is installed which then requests and interacts with random adverts online.
In the case of Pornhub, Proofpoint said users were shown fake adverts urging them to click to download a new version or Flash update to their web browser - but would instead infect their computers.
Millions of users may have a malware problem
Pornhub has not commented on the incident.
Proofpoint warned that this technique of tricking users into clicking on fake adverts and infecting themselves was effective, and had the potential to reach "millions of web surfers" if used elsewhere.
"While the payload in this case is ad fraud malware, it could just as easily have been ransomware, an information stealer, or any other malware," the company said.
"Regardless, threat actors are following the money and looking to more effective combinations of social engineering, targeting, and pre-filtering to infect new victims at scale."
This story was first published in October 2017