Mac malware that steals passwords, cryptocurrency wallets, and other sensitive data has been spotted circulating through Google ads, making it at least the second time in as many months the widely used ad platform has been abused to infect web surfers.

Like most other large advertising networks, Google Ads regularly serves malicious content that isn’t taken down until third parties have notified the company. Google Ads takes no responsibility for any damage that may result from these oversights. The company said in an email it removes malicious ads once it learns of them and suspends the advertiser and has done so in this case.

People who want to install software advertised online should seek out the official download site rather than relying on the site linked in the ad. They should also be wary of any instructions that direct Mac users to install apps through the right-click method mentioned earlier. The Malwarebytes post provides indicators of compromise people can use to determine if they’ve been targeted.

  • 667@lemmy.radio
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    15
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    5 months ago

    Ensure you have multiple layers of ad blocking. A winning combination blocks first at the DNS level, then at the browser level, and finally at the element level.

    AsGuard DNS, uBlock, and ABP.

    I virtually never see ads.

    • cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      5 months ago

      Don’t use more than one ad blocker extension on the same browser, it can cause conflicts.

      • IphtashuFitz@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        5 months ago

        Yup. Blocks ads on our iPhones, iPads, streaming services, etc. Between that & uBlock Origin on our laptop browsers we hardly ever see ads.

    • adarza
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      5 months ago

      ublock origin and adblock plus do the same thing and can be configured to use the same filter lists.

      pick one or the other (tip: choose ubo) for in the browser.