Malvertising

The use of malicious online ads to distribute malware or launch attacks.

Understanding:

Malvertising, or malicious advertising, refers to the use of online advertisements to deliver malware to unsuspecting users. Attackers exploit legitimate ad networks to distribute infected ads, leading to drive-by downloads or phishing attacks.

Common Applications and Use Cases:

Used to spread malware through compromised or fake online advertisements.
Often leveraged in watering hole attacks to target specific user groups.
Exploited in cryptocurrency mining schemes and ransomware distribution.

Best Practices and Security Considerations:

Use ad blockers or security browser extensions to reduce exposure to malicious ads.
Keep web browsers and plugins updated to mitigate exploit-based attacks.
Employ DNS filtering and secure web gateways to block known malvertising domains.