Polluted ads 'an IT security issue'

2009-09-10

Polluted advertisements on websites can be a big problem, according to an expert, and may be an issue for those looking to prevent a data breach.

Richard Wang, manager of the Boston lab at Sophos, told CSOonline that many legitimate websites are reliant on paid advertisements, but his lab has found out that a large number of these are hiding malware without the site owner being aware of it.

"A lot of sites supported by advertisers, rather than contracting directly with the advertiser, work through ad agencies and network affiliates," Mr Wang said.

He noted that someone in the ad-providing supply chain may be the one responsible for planting malware into these ads, but tracing it back to them can prove very tricky.

As for other dangers to websites, local malware could cause issues for those enjoying web hosting services, Mr Wang added.

Gartner recently claimed that security software budgets are expected to grow by around four per cent next year.

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