Virus researchers find Trojan that hijacks Google text ads
By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 00:22am (Mla time) 12/26/2007
MANILA, Philippines -- TrendLabs has reported a new computer Trojan that manages to hijack Google text advertisements.
The Trojan substitutes the hijacked Goggle text ads with malicious code, according to the antivirus researchers at TrendLabs.
“Detected by Trend Micro as TROJ_QHOST.GC, this Trojan modifies a computer’s HOSTS file to prevent users from connecting to page2.googlesyndication.co. This particular site directs to a server for advertisements enrolled to AdSense, the advertising service offered by Google," the antivirus researchers wrote in TrendLabs's blog.
The computer Trojan then controls the web browser and points to another IP address (web address), which the researchers said acts as a "rouge server to third party advertisements about gambling and pornography."
TrendLabs researchers said Google is investigating the attack.
Google has also reportedly voided customer accounts with advertisements that redirected users to possibly malicious websites and those that push products violating the Internet giant’s guidelines.
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