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With the rise of online ads that permeate spaces like social media websites and search engines, cybercriminals are using fake ads and malvertising to prey on vulnerable consumers. The cyber threat involves embedding malicious code into online advertisements posing as legitimate promo material from reputable brands. According to Wired, sites like YouTube, Google, and Facebook are not immune from malvertising since these websites usually outsource their ad content from third-party networks.

Moreover, the rise in AI-generated fake ads is also contributing to the problem since it can easily generatetext or images that emulate popular brands. In line with this, around 70% of online consumers cannot distinguish a real ad from a fake, while 40% are unaware of the potential risks associated with randomly clicking ads on social media. While consumers are usually the target of malvertising, the businesses or organizations being impersonated by fake ads are also significantly affected by the malicious nature of these schemes.

Prevalent strategies used in fake ads and cybercrime

Due to the prevalence of online ads on websites and social media, ZDNET notes that cybercriminals use this to their advantage to plant malicious links and code. When consumers scroll through a web page, there are some ads that either pop up, come across as a post, or can be found as banners in the corner. The fake ads garner their interest, especially when they appear to come from a well-known brand. When these ads are clicked, the malicious ransomware allows the attackers to track users and their devices, leaving them vulnerable
to phishing schemes, identity theft, and hacking techniques, which is further highlighted by our post "Mousejacking: An Invisible Threat in the Wireless World".

On the business side, malvertising can severely damage a brand or organization’s reputation. The fraudulent nature of malvertising makes consumers think the original business is scamming them, which can lead to losses in consumer engagement and damage to overall brand integrity. Additionally, some attackers may not hack directly into consumers' devices but use fake ads that redirect ad revenues into their system, which can lead to huge financial losses for the company. As such, it’s important to double down on practices that can help businesses prevent fake ads from doing more damage.

Best practices for avoiding malvertising

Enhance the quality of ads

Now that AI-generated fake ads make it easier for attackers to create material, a business can benefit from further enhancing the quality of their ads to stand out in contrast to the fake ones. As outlined in Ayima's post on Google quality scores, businesses need to focus on improving the quality of their ads, as this leads to better placements on websites. By improving the overall standard of ads, businesses gain increased exposure and higher click rates instead of these engagements going to fake ads.

To improve quality scores, businesses need to have tailored ad copies that are witty to help them stand out while also having a relevant landing page to generate a straightforward user experience. All this should be complemented by constant optimization to keep up with trends and ensure a business is continuously catering to what consumers want.

Implement monitoring systems

It can be difficult to keep up with the volume of fake ads being pedaled by attackers, which is why a business can take advantage of monitoring systems to combat fake ads made in their name. These monitoring systems can be focused on search engines and social media websites and automatically detect impersonations of a brand or organizations to take them down.

Additionally, BusinessNews Daily recommends that companies who have already experienced malvertising should invest in reputation management services to help revive the company’s standing. This also involves monitoring on the internet but strives to emphasize positive reviews and articles about a business and limit access to the negative ones to bolster their repute.

Fortify cybersecurity measures

Lastly, it’s important to improve a company’s overall cybersecurity measures to prevent the generation of fake ads. By fortifying the cybersecurity measures, a business can prevent attackers from breaching their ad links and embedding malware that harms their reputation.

Our services also highlight enlisting the help of security providers to help with these measures, as we are equipped with comprehensive plans to ensure cybersecurity. This includes risk management, consulting, audit, and certification services done through automated processes, making it easier for businesses to remain confident in their security measures.

Article Exclusively for redalertlabs.com

Prepared by: Beth Kerr