An open letter to Google, re Malware-scanner.com

[tamakun]

Hello there;

 

Recently, I have noticed a couple of websites that have been "compromised" (in my terms) when the advertising window opens.  While I was at work today, I went to HowStuffWorks.com and was reading an article on their website when the window repositioned itself to the lower-right corner of my desktop and popped-up with a "warning" that my computer was running slower than usual (we do not have the ability to install even the simplest of add-ons to our web browsers, so there is no way that malware is on our computers) and regardless of whether I clicked "OK" or "Cancel", would redirect from the page I was attempting to view to their malware scanner (located at a couple of locations, most noticably www.malware-scanner.com, scanner.malwarealarm.com, and xscanner.malwarealarm.com), which then went on to fake a scan telling me that my computer was infected with viruses and malware (which, as stated above, is not possible).

 

I am a very studious and attentive person who is not fooled by Spyware and Viruses, especially when it comes to hoaxes and "warnings" where they are lulling people into a sense of panic when there is no need.  I have the same "problem" on my home computer of which I am the sole user and I am 100% confident that I have no malware or viruses on my computer as I run daily virus and malware scans, and I am well-aware of how scripting can create these pop-up windows that appear to be spoofed from my own computer.  As I was already reading the website article when this "warning" occured I have reason to believe it was pushed through the advertising window located on the HowStuffWorks site.

 

I have a fear in that Google is unwittingly advertising this malicious advertising campaign and I would like to ask Google to please consider looking into this situation and removing the offending company from your AdSense program as it is most likely subjecting many web-surfers to unecessary hassle, and furthermore, propagating further malware use.

 

Sincerely,

Jason Wesley

(Anyone else seen this and can attest to how it appears to be coming through the advertising window?)

Comments

[lordshipmayhem.livejournal.com]

I got that, but I forget which website dropped that little piece of crap on my browser. It claimed I had a virus - and even named the sucker, a well-known Windows virus.

Which was pretty rich, as I was running Linux.