Cybercriminals are Impersonating Brands – Can Adblockers Help?
Next time you do a Google search, think twice before you click on the top result. Pop-up ads have been annoying internet users for years, and now they’ve been designed to look exactly like search results.
pop-up ads are the newest online pest
They’re annoying and potentially harmful – but impersonating Google is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to pop up ads.
Cybercriminals are using these revenue generating devices to impersonate established brands and well-known tech businesses and websites to spread malware, spyware and a variety of other unpleasant applications.
For most internet users, the natural solution to this problem is an ad blocker. Let’s take a look at the threat posed by malicious ads, and whether investing in ad blocking software can help to keep your business and personal information safe.
how do ad blockers work?
There’s no question that pop-up ads are some of the most annoying features of the internet.
Just when you’re about to click on a useful link or grab some vital information in a hurry, an ad appears, asking you to click on a link – and it’s usually for something you’ll never use.
Avoiding pointless ads for Hawaiian beach holidays and DIY skin blemish removers is something we’d all love to do. Like every other digital problem, there’s a software solution waiting to fix the ad scourge.
- Ad blockers prevent pop-up ads from appearing on your screen, especially when these ads try to open a new tab in your browser.
- It may be worth installing an ad blocker (especially a free one) to remove the distraction and potential data threat that malicious ads can cause.
whether you use an ad blocker or not, look twice before you click
Malicious ads have one goal: to make you click on a link that causes you to download malicious software. Simply put, if you don’t click the link, you’ll be safeguarding the safety of your personal information.
The difficulty comes in trying to identify which ads are malicious and dangerous, with some even alleging that you have been infected with a virus and recommending that you download a malware protection solution. There have even been instances where established sites and networks have been hijacked by cybercriminals
Before you click on any link, ensure that it’s from a legitimate website (when in doubt, check the URL). Educating your family and employees about the dangers of pop-up ads and the need for an ad blocker will help you keep your data safe online.
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